Andy Jackson: World of Sea and Sky
by dumbledearme
Summary: Genderbend. Andy Jackson and Lena Grace wake up with no memory of who they are. But something will bring the two girls together. HOO Retell. Rewritten. Revised. Unchanged but improved. Fem!Jason. Fem!Percy. Male!Annabeth. (For more information, check Andy Jackson: Child of Land and Sea).
1. The Special Package

A big reminder that I don't own anything related to the universe of Percy Jackson. All the rights reserved to dear King Rick Riordan. This is just for fun. No harm intended.

On a happier note, I wanted to say that this was only made possible because you guys were so damn kind to me about _Child of Land and Sea_. So thank you. From the heart.

* * *

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part I - _Let this be a sign, let this road be mine, let it lead me to my past._

* * *

It was like her life had started in the National Museum.

She wasn't sure where she was; hell, she wasn't sure who she was. There were other teenagers sprawled in the seats in front of her, but wherever she looked she couldn't find a single face she recognized.

"Lena, are you okay?" the girl beside her asked. She wore no makeup and her chocolate brown hair was cut choppy and uneven, like she was trying not to look good, but it definitely didn't work. She was seriously pretty.

"Um, I don't..." Lena didn't know what to say. Was that her name? Lena? It didn't sound familiar to her ears.

A teacher shouted, "All right, cupcakes, listen up!" He scanned the bus and his eyes fixed on Lena, and his scowl deepened. The man knew she wasn't supposed to be there, that she didn't belong there, but he looked away and cleared his throat. "Stay with your partner. Don't lose your worksheet. And don't touch anything." He picked up a baseball bat and threatened them with it.

Lena's heart was beating in her throat. "I shouldn't be here," she said.

The boy on her other side scoffed. "Me either," he said. "I'm telling you, I'm innocent. Piper was the one who stole that BMW."

The girl blushed. "I didn't steal that car, Leo!"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. You 'talked' the dealer into lending it to you," he said sarcastically. He was a lanky sort of boy. His skin was tanned, he had curly brownish hair, and a mischievous smile that told you right away this guy should not be trusted around matches or sharp objects. His long, nimble fingers wouldn't stop moving, touching everything he could reach. "I hope you've got your worksheet, 'cause I used mine for spit wads days ago. Why are you looking at me like that? Somebody draw on my face again?"

Lena was starting to panic. "I don't know you."

Leo gave her a crocodile grin, but before he could make a retort the teacher yelled from the front. "Problem back there?"

"Sorry, Coach!" Leo shouted back. "I'm having trouble hearing you. Could you use your megaphone, please?"

The Coach grunted like he was pleased to have an excuse to do that. But when he spoke with the megaphone, his voice came out like Darth Vader's. The kids cracked up. The Coach slammed down the megaphone. "Valdez!"

Piper stifled a laugh. "How did you do that, Leo?"

As they headed inside the museum, Leo slipped a tiny Phillips head screwdriver from his sleeve. "I'm a special boy."

Lena tried to steady her breathing. "What am I doing here? What is going on?"

Piper knit her eyebrows. "Lena, are you okay?"

"I don't... I can't..." Lena stepped away from the both of them, which seemed to hurt the girl's feelings. "I don't know who I am." The revelation made her eyes water up. Her head started to spin. It was like the memories were trying to come, but something was blocking them; something that made her head ache.

Leo and Piper exchanged a concerned look. "Alright, be chilled," Leo said. "I'll fill you in, yeah? We go to the Wilderness School, which means we're bad kids. Your family, or the court, or whoever, decided you were too much trouble, so they shipped you off to this lovely prison, eh, sorry, boarding school, where you learn valuable nature skills like running ten miles a day through the cacti and weaving daisies into hats! And for a special treat we go on educational field trips with Coach Hedge, who keeps order with a baseball bat. Is it all coming back to you now?"

Lena glanced apprehensively at him. "No."

"Right," Leo nodded. "Then some more. So the three of us started here together this semester. We're totally tight. You do everything I say and give me your dessert and do my chores—"

"Leo!" Piper snapped.

"What?" he shrugged. "I'm helping our poor friend, Piper. Which is more than you're doing standing there."

"She's got amnesia or something," Piper said. "We've got to tell somebody-" before she could finish, a bulky guy said she had to go with them because they were partners and had to stay together. Apprehensively, she let herself to be led away.

"Poor fool. He still thinks he got a shot with her. He thinks gay means happy," Leo laughed at his own joke. "See? If you don't remember me, that means I can reuse all my old jokes!"

"All right, cupcakes," Coach Hedge announced. "You are about to see the Grand Canyon. Try not to break it. The skywalk can hold the weight of seventy jumbo jets, so you featherweights should be safe out there. If possible, try to avoid pushing each other over the edge, as that would cause me extra paperwork."

They had reached the far end of the exhibit hall, where some big glass doors led out to a terrace. The coach opened the doors, and they all stepped outside. The Grand Canyon spread before them.

"Wicked," Leo said but Lena's attention was somewhere else. Banks of storm clouds had moved overhead casting shadows like angry faces across the cliffs. Lena got a piercing pain behind her eyes and fear flooded her stomach. "You all right? Don't you dare throw up, Lena, 'cause I haven't brought my camera."

Lena grabbed the railing. She was shivering and sweaty, but it had nothing to do with heights. She blinked, and the pain behind her eyes subsided. "Just a headache," she managed. Thunder rumbled overhead. A cold wind almost knocked her sideways.

"This can't be safe." Leo squinted at the clouds. "Storm's right over us, but it's clear all the way around. Like the Addams family."

Coach Hedge frowned at the storm like it bothered him too. "We may have to cut this short, so get to work!"

The storm rumbled, and Lena's head began to hurt again. She reached into her jeans pocket and brought out a coin: a circle of gold the size of a half-dollar, but thicker and more uneven.

"Dang, is that gold?" Leo asked. "You been holding out on me!"

"Leo," she called urgently, "are you sure we're friends? What was the first day we met? What did we talk about?"

"It was…" he frowned. "I don't recall exactly. I mean, I'm all wrong in the head. I'm ADHD."

"But I don't remember you at all! I don't remember anyone here. What if—"

"You're right and everyone else is wrong?" Leo asked. "You think you just appeared here this morning, and we've all got fake memories of you?"

Lena blinked. "That's exactly what I think. And I'm going to prove it. Stay here."

Before he could protest, she headed across the skywalk toward Coach Hedge, who was leaning on his baseball bat, studying the storm clouds. "You did this?" he asked.

"What?"

Coach Hedge glared at her. "Don't play games with me, blondie. What are you doing here, and why are you messing up my job?"

"You mean...you don't know me?" Lena said. "I'm not one of your students?"

"Never seen you before today."

Lena was so relieved she wanted to cry. "Uh... I don't know how I got here. I just woke up. I'm not supposed to be here, am I?"

Hedge's gruff voice dropped to a murmur. "You got a powerful way with the Mist, blondie, if you can make all these people think they know you; but you can't fool me. I've been smelling monster for days now. I knew we had an infiltrator, but you don't smell like a monster. You smell like a half-blood. So... who are you, and where'd you come from?"

"I have no idea what you just said. I don't know who I am. I don't have any memories. You've got to help me."

The Coach studied her face. "I believe you. But what you are... it means trouble. Now I got to protect three of you rather than two. Are you the special package? Is that it?"

"What are you talking about?"

Hedge shook his head. "I got a message from camp. They said an extraction team is on the way. They're coming to pick up a special package, but they wouldn't give me details. I thought to myself, fine, you know? The two I'm watching are pretty powerful, older than most. I know they're being stalked. I can smell a monster in the group. I figure that's why the camp is suddenly frantic to pick them up. But then you pop up out of nowhere. So, are you the special package?"

"I didn't get half of what you just said," Lena confessed.

"Forget it. I'll just have to watch you, too, until the team gets here."

Lightning crackled overhead. The wind picked up with a vengeance. Kids screamed. "Everyone inside!" Coach shouted. "Off the skywalk!" The storm churned into a miniature hurricane. Kids screamed and ran for the building. Leo lost his balance and almost toppled over the railing, but Lena grabbed his jacket and pulled him back.

Piper and her partner were holding the doors open. Lena, Leo, and Coach Hedge ran toward them, but the wind was pushing them back. The doors slammed shut. Piper tugged at the handles. "Dylan, help!" she shouted, but the guy just stood there with an idiotic grin.

"I'm done helping," he said. He flicked his wrist, and Piper flew backward, slamming into the doors and sliding to the skywalk deck.

"I should've known that was our monster," Coach said. "The way that boy eats..."

"What monster?" Leo shouted.

The Coach lifted his baseball bat which changed into a crudely shaped tree-branch club, with twigs and leaves still attached. Dylan gave him that psycho happy smile. "Oh, come on, satyr. Let the girl attack me! You're getting too old for this. Didn't even notice me."

Hedge growled. "You're going down, cupcake."

"You can't protect three half-bloods at once," Dylan told him. He pointed at Leo, and sent him flying off the skywalk. Somehow, Leo managed to grab a thin ledge about fifty feet below the skywalk and hung there by his fingertips.

"SOS!" he yelled up at them.

Coach Hedge cursed and tossed Lena his club. "I don't know who you are, blondie, but I hope you're good. Keep that thing busy while I get Leo." He kicked off his shoes revealing a pair of hooves.

"You're a faun!" Lena said.

"Satyr!" he snapped. "Fauns are Roman," and he leaped over the railing.

Lena threw the club and smacked Dylan on the head so hard he fell to his knees. Piper's fingers closed around the club when it rolled next to her, but before she could use it, Dylan rose. Golden blood trickled from his forehead. "Nice try, goldilocks," he said. "But you'll have to do better."

The skywalk shuddered. Dylan's body dissolved into smoke until his whole form was suddenly composed of swirling black vapor, his eyes like electrical sparks in a living storm cloud. He sprouted black smoky wings and rose above the skywalk.

"You're a _ventus_ ," Lena said automatically. "A storm spirit."

"My mistress told me to way," Dylan said. "She said a third was coming, someone special. She'll reward me greatly for your death!" He raised his hand and blasted Lena in the chest.

Lena found herself flat on her back, her clothes smoking. The lightning bolt had gone straight through her body and blasted off her left shoe. She rose unsteadily to her feet.

"How are you alive?" Dylan's form flickered. "That was enough lightning to kill twenty men!"

"I'm not a man," Lena said. She flipped her coin in the air like she'd done it a thousand times in what felt like other lives. She caught it in her palm, and suddenly she was holding a golden sword.

"Who are you, half-blood?" Dylan backed up and Lena could see fear in his eyes. "My mistress will destroy all demigods," he threatened. "This war you cannot win." And to prove his point he threw Piper over the railing, screaming as she fell.

Lena saw Coach Hedge climbing the cliff with Leo on his back. Time seemed to slow down. Then Leo was on the floor and Coach launched himself at the spirit and they both rose into the air, gaining speed. The satyr and the storm spirit spiraled into the clouds and disappeared. Then Lena made up her mind. She ran to the railing and jumped over the side.

In a heartbeat, she caught up with Piper. Lena tackled her waist and closed her eyes. Suddenly the wind died. Piper's scream turned into a strangled gasp. Lena opened her eyes and saw they were floating in midair. She hugged Piper tight, and Piper hugged her back. They were nose to nose.

"How did you—"

"I don't know," she said. Lena could feel pressure under her feet giving them support. She imagined that lifting them up and instantly they shot skyward. As soon as they landed on the skywalk, they saw Leo moving his arms frenetically.

"Stupid … ugly … goat," he was saying.

"Where did he go?" Piper asked.

Leo pointed straight up. "Never came down. What happened? The tornado guy, the gold sword, you flying? What is this? I'm hallucinating? Because I didn't take my pills today and-"

"You acted like... like you'd seen this before," Piper told Lena. "Who are you?"

Lena shook her head. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. I don't know."

"And that... Dylan..." Piper shuddered. "He called us... what, demigods?"

Leo lay on his back, staring at the sky. "Don't know about you guys, but I'm not feeling too godly. You guys feeling godly?" Then he gasped. "Tell me if those are flying horses. Because I really thought I could live without those pills, but now I'm starting to regret this decision..."

Lena looked up and saw a flying chariot coming their way. "Reinforcements," she guessed.

The chariot landed on the far end of the skywalk. Two guys came off of it, one with sand colored hair and a bald one. They both wore jeans and orange T-shirts. The first one pulled a knife and placed it at Lena's neck.

"Where is she?" he demanded. His gray eyes were more violent than the storm above.

"Where's who?" Lena stuttered.

The boy frowned. "What about Gleeson? Your protector? Where is he?"

"The Coach's first name was Gleeson?" Leo asked interested. "Now I get it. All that anger... Well, he got taken by some… tornado things."

"Storm spirits," Lena corrected.

The boy arched an eyebrow. "You mean _anemoi thuellai?_ That's the Greek term. Who are you, and what happened?" He put away his knife as Lena tried her best to explain. "That doesn't make any sense. They told me she'd be here! Hera said if I came here, I'd find the answer."

"Yo, Anthony," the bald guy approached. "Check it out." He pointed at Lena's feet. "Cinderella. The blonde girl with one shoe. She's the answer."

"No, Butch," the other one, Anthony, insisted. "She can't be. I was tricked." He glared at the sky. "What do you want from me?" he shouted. "What have you done with her?"

The skywalk shuddered.

"What's his problem?" Lena asked. "He looks like he wants to kill me."

"Seriously," Leo agreed.

Butch hesitated. "Cut him some slack. He had a vision telling him to come here, to find the Cinderella with one shoe. That was supposed to be the answer to his problem."

"What problem?" Piper asked.

"He's been looking for one of our campers, who's been missing a few days," Butch said. "He's going out of his mind with worry. He hoped she'd be here."

"Who?" Piper insisted.

"His girlfriend," Butch grinned. "Andy Jackson."


	2. Pain & Possibilities

Since I obviously can't live without Andy Jackson, I decided to tell both stories at the same time: The Lost Hero and The Son of Neptune. I've made several changes and I'm not gonna lie, it is likely that you'll find a bunch of holes in the timeline. I apologize for that. I also guarantee this isn't perfect and I beg for your patience. Nothing is perfect, guys. Especially fun things. So have fun.

* * *

Act II - **From The Sea We Rise**

Part I - _As the river cuts his path, though the river's proud and strong, he will choose the smoothest course. That's why rivers live so long._

* * *

 _Anthony,_ she thought when she saw San Francisco's Bay glittering under a silvery haze. She wasn't sure who Anthony was, but somehow the connection made sense.

"There you are!" The gorgon appeared on the hill.

"Here I am. But where is your sister?" Andy fended her off with her sword. "I find her much more pleasant than you, Stheno."

"Oh, put the sword away," Stheno chided. "You know that even Celestial bronze can't kill us for long."

"Stheno!" The second gorgon appeared out of nowhere. "I told you to sneak up on her and kill her!"

Stheno's smile wavered. "But, Euryale-"

Euryale rolled her eyes. "You've always had to play with your food..." She turned on Andy. "You've led us on quite a chase, Andy Jackson. But now you're trapped, and we'll have our revenge!"

"Look here, girls, we've talked about this!" Andy complained. "I don't remember killing Medusa. How can I now what you say it's true? I can't remember anything! So why don't we just call a truce and move on with our lives?"

"I don't care what you remember, child of land and sea," said Euryale. "I can smell Medusa's blood on you. It's faint, yes, but you were the last one to defeat her. She still has not returned from Tartarus. It's your fault!"

"Mine? Are you sure? How about we call it a draw then?" Andy suggested. "I can't kill you. You can't kill me. I mean, shouldn't I be petrified by now? Doesn't that tell you something?"

"I hate heroes!" Euryale said with disgust. "They always bring that up, just like our mother! _'Why can't you turn people to stone? Your sister can turn people to stone.'_ Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that was Medusa's curse alone. She was the most hideous one in the family. She got all the luck!"

Stheno looked hurt. "Mother said _I_ was the most hideous."

"Quiet!" Euryale snapped.

"You know what?" Andy said. "I changed my mind. Stheno is way more pleasant than you, Euryale. All you do is yell, girl! You gotta chill."

Euryale bared her teeth. "Andy Jackson, it's true you bear the mark of Achilles. That makes you a little tougher to kill. But don't worry. We'll find a way."

"The mark of who now?"

"Achilles," Stheno said cheerfully. "Oh, he was gorgeous! Dipped in the River Styx as a child, you know, so he was invulnerable except for a tiny spot on his ankle. Someone must've done the same to you. But heroes always have a weak spot. We just have to find it."

Andy didn't remember any dip in the Styx. Then again, she didn't remember much of anything. She had woken up in the frozen forest of Sonoma with no idea of who she was or where she was. The only help came from the she-wolf who explained to her about demigods, monsters and actual gods. Next thing she new, Andy was sent on this journey with no idea of where it would take her.

"Once we defeat Andy Jackson," finished Euryale, "we'll be more famous than Medusa!"

"Okay, but," said Andy, "excuse me, but how _did_ you return from Tartarus?"

Euryale sneered. "The goddess Gaea brought us back, of course! You won't live long enough to meet her, but your friends will soon face her wrath. Her armies are marching south. At the Feast of Fortune, she'll awaken, and the demigods will be cut down like-"

While she explained, Andy made a run for it. She jumped off the side of the hill, ended up tripping and started to roll downhill like a snowball. It helped her go down quicker but it hurt like a bitch. She only stopped when she hit some bushes, let out a groan and fought to stand up.

Andy looked east. The tunnels were there, just like Lupa said they'd be, and Andy was finally sure she was in the right place.

Two half-bloods in armor flanked the entrance. One of them seemed tiny, like a girl, while the other was a stocky guy with a bow and quiver on his back. Andy hesitated. After so many horrible days, she'd finally reached her goal. Her instincts told her that if she could make it inside that door, she might find safety for the first time since the wolves.

Still, she was terrified.

"You're right, of course," said a voice next to her. Andy jumped. There was a dirty old lady sitting on the grass. "It's the entrance to camp, Andy Jackson," she said. "Not much time left now, child. You need to make your choice."

"Who are you?" Andy asked.

"Juno," she smiled revealing only three teeth. "It is June, isn't it?"

Andy sighed. She didn't have time for riddles or tricks. "Looky here, I gotta go. Two gorgons are coming. I don't want them to hurt you. So you better skadoodle."

"That's part of your choice, child of land and sea," Juno revealed. "You could leave me here at the mercy of the gorgons and escape. You'd make it there safely, I guarantee. In the sea, no monster would bother you. You could begin a new life, live to a ripe old age, and escape a great deal of pain and misery that is in your future."

 _Anthony_ , Andy thought again before pushing it away. Why was the name haunting her? Would he be a part of the future Juno spoke of?

"Or?" she asked.

"Or you could do a good deed for an old lady. Carry me to the camp with you. I can't get there by myself," she showed Andy her bruised feet. "Carry me through the tunnel and across the river."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're kind," she suggested with a shrug. "And if you don't, the gods will die, the world we know will perish, and everyone from your old life will be destroyed. Of course, you wouldn't remember them, so I suppose it won't matter. You'd be safe at the bottom of the sea."

Andy swallowed. "If... If I go to the camp... will I get my memory back?"

"Eventually," Juno said. "But be warned, you'll have to sacrifice much. You'll lose the mark of Achilles. You'll feel pain, misery, and loss beyond anything you've ever known. But you might have a chance to save your old friends and reclaim your old life."

"Anthony..." Andy asked in a whisper. "Who is he? Will I find him?"

Juno seemed surprised. She made a face like the name displeased her. "If you so desire."

"I do. I must."

Juno nodded. "Then you shall."

Andy allowed the old lady to climb on her back. She was lighter than Andy expected. She also wasn't very solid, like she wasn't really there, just a projection of some kind.

Andy ran until her ribs ached. One of the guards, the guy with the bow, nocked an arrow and a gorgon wailed in pain. The second guard readied her spear, gesturing frantically at Andy to hurry. Another arrow thudded into Euryale's head and she tumbled into the fast lane. But she just pulled the arrow out of her head, and launched back into the air.

Andy reached the door. "Thanks," she told the guards. "Good shot."

"That should've killed her!" the archer protested.

"Welcome to my life," Andy muttered.

"Frank," the girl said. "Get them inside, quick! Those are gorgons."

"Gorgons?" The archer's voice squeaked. It was hard to tell much about him under the helmet, but he looked stout like a wrestler. "Will the door hold them?"

On Andy's back, Juno cackled. "No, it won't. Onward, Andy Jackson! Through the tunnel, over the river!"

"Andy Jackson?" The female guard was darker-skinned, with curly hair sticking out the sides of her helmet. She was tiny, even smaller than Andy, which was definitely impressing, but she still sounded like she was the one in charge. "Okay, you're obviously a demigod. But who's the...?" She glanced at Juno. "Never mind. Just get inside. I'll hold them off."

"Hazel," the boy said. "Don't be crazy."

"Go!" she demanded.

Frank cursed in Latin and opened the door. "Come on!" Andy followed, staggering under the weight of the old lady, who was definitely getting heavier. Andy didn't know how that girl Hazel would hold off the gorgons by herself, but she was too tired to argue.

As they ran deeper into the hillside, the cement floor changed to tiled mosaic. The lights changed to reed torches, which burned but didn't smoke. The old lady was heavier now than a pile of sandbags. Andy shook from the strain.

Behind them, the gorgons' voices echoed in the tunnel. Hazel shouted. Andy was tempted to dump Juno and runback to help, but then the entire tunnel shook with the rumble of falling stone. The gorgons were the ones shouting now. Andy glanced back. The west end of the tunnel was now filled with dust.

"Shouldn't we check on your friend?" she asked.

"She'll be okay... I hope," Frank said. "She's good underground. Just keep moving! We're almost there."

"Almost where?"

Juno chuckled. "All roads lead there, child. You should know that."

"Detention?" Andy asked.

"Home," the old woman said. "Rome."

They kept running. The glow at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, and finally they burst into sunlight.

Andy froze. Spread out at her feet was a bowl-shaped valley several miles wide. She felt like she had stepped into a secret world. In the center of the valley, nestled by the lake, was a small city of white marble buildings with red-tiled roofs. About two hundred yards away, just across the river, was some sort of military encampment. Purple banners hung from the towers. A wide gateway opened on the far side of camp, leading toward the city.

"Camp Jupiter," Frank said. "We'll be safe once-"

Footsteps echoed in the tunnel behind them. Hazel burst into the light. She was covered with stone dust and breathing hard. She'd lost her helmet, so her curly brown hair fell around her shoulders. "I slowed them down," she said. "But they'll be here any second."

Frank cursed. "We have to get across the river."

Juno squeezed Andy's neck tighter. "Oh, yes, please. I can't get my dress wet."

Andy bit her tongue. She stumbled a few times as they ran for the river. Frank and Hazel kept her on her feet. They reached the riverbank, and Andy stopped to catch her breath. The current was fast, but the river didn't look deep. Only a stone's throw across stood the gates of the fort.

"Go, Hazel." Frank knocked two arrows at once. "Escort Andy so the sentries don't shoot her. It's my turn to hold off the baddies."

Hazel nodded and waded into the stream. Andy started to follow, but something made her hesitate.

"The Little Tiber," said Juno sympathetically. "It flows with the power of the original Tiber, river of the empire. This is your last chance to back out, Andy Jackson. The mark of Achilles is a Greek blessing. You can't retain it if you cross into Roman territory. The Tiber will wash it away."

Andy was too exhausted to understand all that, but she got the main point. "If I cross, I won't have iron skin anymore?"

Juno smiled. "So what will it be? Safety, or a future of pain and possibility?"

Behind them, the gorgons screeched as they flew from the tunnel. Frank let his arrows fly. From the middle of the river, Hazel yelled, "Andy, come on!"

Up on the watchtowers, horns blew. The sentries shouted and swiveled their crossbows toward the gorgons. _Anthony,_ Andy thought one last time. He'd have something smart to say. He'd know the right path. _Possibilities_...

Andy forged into the river. It was icy cold, much swifter than she'd imagined, but that didn't bother her. New strength surged through her limbs. Her senses tingled like she'd been injected with caffeine. She reached the other side and put the old woman down as the camp's gates opened. Dozens of kids in armor poured out.

Hazel turned with a relieved smile. Then she looked over Andy's shoulder, and her expression changed to horror. "Frank!" He was halfway across the river when the gorgons caught him. They swooped out of the sky and grabbed him by either arm. He screamed in pain as their claws dug into his skin.

Andy thrust out her hands and the Tiber obeyed her will. The river surged. Whirlpools formed on either side of Frank. Giant watery hands erupted from the stream, copying Andy's movements. The giant hands grabbed the gorgons, who dropped Frank in surprise. Then Andy made a smashing gesture with her fists, and the giant hands plunged the gorgons into the Tiber. The monsters hit bottom and broke into dust. The whirlpools vanished, and the current returned to normal.

Andy stood on the riverbank. Frank stumbled around, looking stunned but perfectly fine. Hazel waded out and helped him ashore. Everyone was staring at Andy. Only the old lady, Juno, looked unfazed.

"Well, that was a lovely trip," she said. "Thank you, Andy Jackson, for bringing me to Camp Jupiter."

One of the girls made a choking sound. "Andy…Jackson?" She sounded as if she recognized the name. Andy focused on her, hoping to see a familiar face. She was obviously a leader. She wore a regal purple cloak over her armor. Her chest was decorated with medals. She had dark, piercing eyes and long black hair.

June then began to glow and change form. She showed her true self in a blue dress, with a cloak that looked like goat's skin over her shoulders, deep blue eyes and golden hair. The girl with the purple cloak knelt. The others followed her lead.

Hazel was the first to speak. "Juno." She and Frank also fell to their knees, leaving Andy the only one standing.

"So it is Juno, huh?" Andy crossed her arms. "Well, if I passed your test, can I have my memory and my life back?"

The goddess smiled. "In time, Andy Jackson, if you succeed here at camp. You've done well today, which is a good start. Perhaps there's hope for you yet." She turned to the other kids. "Romans, I present to you the daughter of Neptune, the child of land and sea. Her fate is in your hands. The Feast of Fortune comes quickly, and Death must be unleashed if you are to stand any hope in the battle. Do not fail me!" She shimmered and disappeared.

Andy looked at Hazel and Frank for some kind of explanation, but they seemed just as confused as she was. Frank was holding two small clay flasks with cork stoppers, like potions, one in each hand. He slip them into his pockets.

The girl in the purple cloak stepped forward. She examined Andy warily, and Andy couldn't shake the feeling that she wanted to run her through with her dagger. "So," she said coldly, "a daughter of Neptune, who comes to us with the blessing of Juno."

"Look," Andy said, "my memory's a little fuzzy. Um, it's gone, actually. So tell me... Do I know you?"

The girl hesitated. "I am Reyna, praetor of the Twelfth Legion. And… no, I don't know you," she lied. "Hazel, bring her inside. I want to question her at the principia. Then we'll send her to Octavian. We must consult the auguries before we decide what to do with her."

"That doesn't sound cheerful," Andy pointed out.

Reyna's hand tightened on her dagger. "Before we accept anyone into camp, we must interrogate them and read the auguries. Juno said your fate is in our hands. We have to know whether the goddess has brought us as a new recruit.…" Reyna studied Andy as if she found that doubtful. "Or," she said more hopefully, "if she's brought us an enemy to kill."


	3. Stolen Moments

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part II - _Look there she goes, the girl is strange but special. It's a pity and a sin she doesn't quite fit in._

* * *

Piper stood in the back of the chariot with Leo and Lena, while the bald guy, Butch, handled the reins, and the blond guy, Anthony, adjusted a bronze navigation device. The chariot lurched and bumped. It had no seat belts and the back was wide open.

Lena was right beside Piper: those large blue eyes, the blonde hair, the pink lips. Her face was kind and gentle, but always a little sad. She just stared at the horizon, not even noticing Piper.

Meanwhile, Leo was trying to annoy everyone, as usual. "This is so cool!" He spit a pegasus feather out of his mouth. "Where are we going?"

"A safe place," Anthony said. "Camp Half-Blood."

"Half-Blood?" Piper was immediately on guard. She hated that word. She'd been called a half-blood too many times: half Cherokee, half white, and it was never a compliment.

"He means we're demigods," Lena said. "Half god, half mortal."

Anthony looked back. "You seem to know a lot. But, yes, demigods. My mom is Athena, goddess of wisdom. Butch here is the son of Iris, the rainbow goddess."

Leo choked. "Your mom is a rainbow goddess?"

"Got a problem with that?" Butch said.

"Nope," Leo said. "Rainbows. Very macho."

"Butch is our best equestrian," Anthony said hiding his grin. "He gets along great with the pegasi."

"Rainbows, ponies..." Leo muttered.

"I'm gonna toss you off this chariot," Butch warned.

Soon after, they reached their destination. There were at least twenty campers milling around and all of them had orange T-shirts like Anthony's.

"Chase!" A muscular girl with brown hair pushed through the crowd. "You better not have broken my chariot, you nerd."

"I haven't, Clarisse," Anthony said.

Clarisse turned her mean eyes to Piper, Leo and Lena. "These are the ones? Way older than thirteen. And did you find Jackson?"

"No," he admitted. The campers muttered.

Clarisse's eyes softened a bit. "Sorry, Chase."

Another girl stepped forward, tall, Asian, dark hair in ringlets, plenty of jewelry, and perfect makeup. "Well," she said, "I hope they're worth the trouble."

Leo snorted. "Gee, thanks."

"What is this place?" Lena asked. "Why are we here? How long do we have to stay?"

"Lena," Anthony said, "I promise we'll answer your questions. And Drew," he frowned at the glamour girl and Piper was proud to see her beauty had no effect on him, "all demigods are worth saving. But I'll admit, the trip didn't accomplish what I hoped."

"We didn't ask to be brought here, Piper put in.

Drew sniffed. "And nobody wants you, hon. Does your hair always look like a dead badger?"

Piper stepped forward, ready to smack her, but Anthony said, "Enough." and she stopped. She wasn't a bit scared of Drew, but Anthony didn't seem like somebody she wanted for an enemy. "We need to make our new arrivals feel welcome," he said, with another pointed look at Drew. "We'll assign them each a guide, give them a tour of camp. Hopefully by the campfire tonight, they'll be claimed."

"What does that mean?" Piper asked.

Suddenly there was a collective gasp. The campers backed away. Piper turned and almost forgot how to breathe. Floating over Leo's head was a blazing holographic image: a fiery hammer.

"That," Anthony said, "is claiming."

"What'd I do?" Leo backed away. Then he glanced up and yelped. "Is my hair on fire?" He ducked, but the symbol followed him.

"This can't be good," Butch muttered. "The curse—"

"Shut up," Anthony said. "Leo, you've just been claimed—"

"By a god," Lena interrupted. "That's the symbol of Vulcan, isn't it?" All eyes turned to her.

"How did you know that?" Anthony asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Vulcan?" Leo demanded. "What are you talking about?"

"Vulcan is the Roman name for Hephaestus," Anthony said, "the god of blacksmiths and fire."

"The god of what? Who?"

Anthony turned to the first girl. "Clarisse, would you take Leo, give him a tour? Introduce him to his bunk-mates in Cabin Nine."

"Hmphf," she said crossing her arms. "Fine. But if he talks too much, I'll dunk his head in the toilet."

"What's Cabin Nine?" Leo asked. "And I'm not a Vulcan!"

Clarisse looked at him angrily. "Put a sock on it, newbie." She put a hand on his shoulder and steered him off toward the cabins.

Anthony turned his attention back to Lena like she was a complicated blueprint. "Hold out your arm," he asked.

Piper saw what he was looking at, and her eyes widened. On the inside of Lena's right forearm was a tattoo: a dozen straight lines like a bar code, and over that an eagle with the letters SPQR.

"I've never seen marks like this," Anthony said. "Where did you get them?"

Lena shook her head and said for the hundredth time: "I don't know."

"They look burned into your skin," Anthony noticed.

"They were," Lena said. Then she winced as if her head was aching. "I mean… I _think_ so. I don't remember."

"She needs to go straight to Chiron," Anthony decided. "Drew, would you—"

"Sure. I'll take goldie." Drew laced her arm through Lena's. "This way. I'll introduce you to our director. He's… an interesting guy."

The crowd began to disperse, until only Anthony and Piper were left. Now he looked unsure. "Come with me," he decided. "I'll give you a tour. We need to talk."

They walked for a while, mas he didn't show any enthusiasm about it. They climbed up a hill at the edge of camp and Piper turned and got an amazing view of the valley.

"The valley is protected from mortal eyes," Anthony said. "As you can see, the weather is controlled, too. Each cabin represents a Greek god, a place for that god's children to live."

"You're saying Mom was a goddess."

"You're taking this awfully calmly."

Piper couldn't say out loud, but the dream had warned her this would come. She took a shaky breath. "I guess after this morning, it's a little easier to believe. So who's my mom?"

"We should know soon," he said. "Gods are supposed to claim their children. That was the deal they made Andy. Sometimes it takes a little longer, but you saw how fast Leo was claimed once he got here. Should happen for you soon. The older you get, the more monsters notice you, try to kill you. That's why we send protectors into the schools to find you guys, get you to camp before it's too late."

"Like Coach Hedge?" He nodded. "What happened to him? When we went up into the clouds, did he… is he gone for good?"

"Hard to say." Anthony's expression was pained. "Storm spirits… difficult to battle. Even our best weapons, Celestial bronze, will pass right through them unless you can catch them by surprise."

"Lena's sword turned them to dust," Piper remembered.

"She was lucky. Anyway, you'll be fine here. You'll make friends. We all know what you're going through. You should hear how much trouble Andy—" His face darkened. "Come with me. There's something else I need to check."

They hiked a little farther until they reached a cave near the top of the hill. Bones and old swords littered the ground.

"What's in there?" Piper asked.

Anthony poked his head inside, then sighed. "Nothing, right now. A friend's place. I've been expecting her for a few days, but so far, nothing."

"Your friend lives in a cave?"

He almost managed a smile. "Actually, her family has a luxury condo in Queens. But when she's here at camp, yeah, she lives in the cave. She's our oracle, tells the future. I was hoping she could help me—"

"Find your girlfriend," Piper guessed.

All the energy drained out of him. His expression was so full of pain, Piper felt like a voyeur. His shoulders drooped and he sat down on a rock. He rubbed his eyes and took a shaky breath. "Sorry. A little tired."

"You look ready to drop," Piper said. "How long have been searching for her?"

"Ten days, six hours, and about twelve minutes."

"And you've got no idea what happened to her?"

Anthony shook his head miserably. "We were so excited when... We met up at camp thinking we had three weeks together. It was going to be great. That first night... The only night we had _was_ great. But in the morning, she was gone. We searched the whole camp. We contacted her mom. We've tried to reach her every way we know how. Nothing. She just disappeared."

"How long were you guys together?"

"Officially...? A year and four months," he answered.

"Wow," Piper said. "That's a long time. I've only known Lena for a few months and... but we were only together a few weeks."

Anthony winced. "Piper … about that..."

"Look, I know Lena thought... she thought she just appeared at our school today. But that's not true. I've known her for three months!"

"Piper," Anthony said sadly. "It's the Mist. It's a kind of veil separating the mortal world from the magic world. Mortal minds... they can't process strange stuff like gods and monsters, so the Mist bends reality. It makes mortals see things in a way they can understand... like their eyes might just skip over this valley completely, you know?"

Piper swallowed. "No. You said yourself I'm not a regular mortal. I'm a demigod."

"Even demigods can be affected. I've seen it lots of times. Monsters infiltrate some place like a school, pass themselves off as human, and everyone thinks they remember that person. They believe he's always been around. The Mist can change memories, even create memories of things that never happened—"

"But Lena's not a monster!" Piper insisted. "She's a human girl, or demigod, or whatever you want to call her. My memories aren't fake. They're so real. The time we set Coach Hedge's pants on fire. The time Lena and I watched a meteor shower on the dorm roof and I finally got enough courage to kis... to kiss..." Piper's mouth was suddenly very dry and she was unable to keep talking.

Anthony pursed his lips. "If you know her so well... then where is she from?"

Piper felt like she'd been hit between the eyes. "She must have told me, but—"

"Did you ever notice her tattoo before today? Did she ever tell you anything about her parents, or her friends, or her last school?"

"I... I don't know, but—"

"Piper, what's her last name?"

Her mind went blank. Piper didn't know Lena's last name.

 _How could that be?_

She started to cry.

"Hey." Anthony seemed extremely uncomfortable but still he tried to comfort _her._ "We'll figure it out. Lena's here now. Maybe it'll work out with you two for real."

Piper brushed a tear from her cheek. "You brought me up here so no one would see me blubbering, didn't you?"

He shrugged. "I figured it would be hard for you."

When Piper managed to calm herself down, Anthony took her back to camp. They headed toward the arsenal where he invited Piper to pick out a weapon, saying every demigod needed one. The big metal shed was lined with all sorts of weapons, from swords to spears to clubs.

"Hephaestus makes the best, but we have a pretty good selection, too. Athena's all about strategy: matching the right weapon to the right person. Let's see…"

Piper didn't feel much like shopping for deadly objects, but she knew he was trying to do something nice for her. Something in the corner of the shed caught her eye. It looked like it hadn't seen the light of day in centuries.

"I don't think you want this one," Anthony said following her stare. "Swords are usually better."

"You use a knife." Piper pointed to his belt.

"Yeah, but..." he shrugged. "Well, take a look if you want."

The sheath was worn black leather, bound in bronze. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy. When Piper unsheathed it, she found a triangular blade eighteen inches long, bronze gleaming like it had been polished yesterday.

"It suits you," Anthony admitted. "That kind of blade is called a parazonium. It was mostly ceremonial. It showed you were a person of power and wealth, but in a fight, it could protect you just fine." He exhaled. "However, that blade has a long story. Most people would be afraid to claim it. Its first owner… well, things didn't turn out too well for her. Her name was Helen."

Piper blinked. "Wait, you mean _the_ Helen? Helen of Troy?"

He nodded. "That was a wedding present from Menelaus, Helen's first husband. She named it _Katoptris_."

"Meaning?"

"Mirror," he said. "Looking glass. Probably because that's the only thing Helen used it for. I don't think it's ever seen battle."

Piper looked at the blade again. For a moment, her own image stared up at her, but then the reflection changed. She saw flames, and a grotesque face like something carved from bedrock. She heard the same laughter as in her dream. She saw her dad in chains, tied to a post in front of a roaring bonfire.

She turned away, frightened, but trying not to show it. She smiled faintly at Anthony and followed him outside.

They went to check the cabins. They were all cold and Piper couldn't identify with any of them. None struck Piper as hers. Until she saw Hera's. Piper immediately headed that way. Anthony followed, though he didn't look very excited. "Is it empty?" Piper asked.

He nodded. "Goddess of marriage." His tone was carefully controlled, like he was trying to avoid cursing. "She doesn't have kids with anyone but Zeus. So, yeah, no demigods. The cabin's just honorary."

"You don't like her," Piper noticed.

"No, I don't," he admitted fearlessly. "I thought we'd made peace after everything that happened, but when Andy disappeared… I got this weird dream vision from her."

"Telling you to come get us," Piper said. "But you thought Andy would be there."

"It's probably better I don't talk about it," he said. "I've got nothing good to say about Hera."

On instinct, PIper pushed the doors and they swung open easily. She walked inside and froze where she was. They weren't alone. Behind the statue of the goddess, at a little altar in the back, stood a figure covered in a black shawl. Only her hands were visible, palms up. She seemed to be chanting something like a spell or a prayer.

Anthony gasped. "Rachel?"

The other girl turned. She dropped her shawl, revealing a mane of curly red hair and a freckled face that didn't go with the seriousness of the whole thing. "Hey!" She ran to give him a hug. "I'm so sorry! I came as fast as I could."

"Rachel, this is Piper, one of the half-bloods we rescued today," Anthony introduced them. "Piper, this is Rachel Elizabeth Dare, our oracle."

"The friend who lives in the cave," Piper guessed.

Rachel grinned. "That's me."

"What are you…" Piper waved her hand around the room.

Rachel's smile faded. She glanced at Anthony, then back at Piper. "Just a hunch. Something about this cabin and Andy's disappearance. They're connected somehow. I've learned to follow my hunches, especially the last month, since the gods went silent."

"Went silent?" Piper asked.

Rachel frowned at Anthony. "You haven't told her yet?"

"I was getting to that," he said. "Piper… well, it's normal for the gods not to talk to their children very much, but usually we can count on some messages now and then. Some of us can even visit Olympus. But now Olympus fell silent. The entrance closed, and no one can get in. Nobody knows why. It's like the gods have sealed themselves off. Even my mom won't answer my prayers, and our camp director, Dionysus, was recalled. Demigods still get claimed, but nothing else. No messages. No visits. No sign the gods are even listening. It's like something has happened, something really bad. And Andy disappeared."

"And Lena showed up on our field trip," Piper supplied. "With no memory."

"Who's Lena?" Rachel asked.

"My... My friend," Piper said. "But Anthony, you said Hera sent you a dream vision."

"Right," he said. "The first communication from a god in a month, and it's Hera, the least helpful goddess, and she contacts _me_ , her least favorite demigod. She tells me I'll find out what happened to Andy if I go to the Grand Canyon skywalk and look for Cinderella with one shoe. I found you guys, and Cinderella must be Lena. But it doesn't make sense."

"Something bad is happening," Rachel agreed. But before she could continue, her body stiffened. Her eyes began to glow with a greenish light, and she grabbed Piper by the shoulders. Piper tried to back away, but Rachel's hands were like steel clamps. "Free me," she said. But it wasn't Rachel's voice. It sounded like an older woman, speaking from somewhere far away, down a long, echoing pipe. "Free me, Piper McLean, or the earth shall swallow us. It must be by the solstice."

Piper's knees buckled, and everything went black.


	4. Best or Greatest

Act II - **From The Sea We Rise**

Part II - _You think the only people who are people are the people who look and think like you._

* * *

Half the people in camp were dead; shimmering purple warriors standing outside the armory, polishing ethereal swords. Andy didn't mind that one bit, but as she walked by, all the spirits stopped what they were doing and stared. A few looked angry. One even shrieked something like _"Greggus!"_ and turned invisible.

"Why do you have ghosts?" she asked.

"Ghosts?" Hazel turned. She had startling eyes that seemed made of gold. That scared Andy. There was a secret memory attached to that. "They're Lares. House gods."

"House gods," Andy repeated. "Like… smaller than real gods, but larger than apartment gods?"

"They're ancestral spirits," Frank explained trying not to laugh. He'd removed his helmet, revealing almond-shaped eyes. "The Lares are kind of like mascots. Mostly they're harmless, but I've never seen them so agitated."

"Well, the rude one over there called me _Greggus_. Do I look like a Greg to either of you?"

 _"Graecus,"_ Hazel corrected. "Once you've been here awhile, you'll start understanding Latin. Demigods have a natural sense for it. _Graecus_ means Greek."

"Hmmm. How bad in a scale of they-might-shave-my-eyebrows-as-I-sleep?" Andy asked.

Frank cleared his throat. "Maybe not that bad. You've got that type of complexion, the dark hair and all. Maybe they think you're actually Greek. Is your family from there?"

"I have that type of complexion? How would I know? My memory is gone, Frank!"

"Or maybe…" he hesitated, then shrugged. "Nah... It's probably nothing," he said. "Romans and Greeks have an old rivalry. Sometimes Romans use _graecus_ as an insult for someone who's an outsider. An enemy. I wouldn't worry about it."

"I hate to be the one to say it, but you sound pretty worried."

They stopped at the center of camp, where two wide stone-paved roads met at a T. For certain death, the place looked pretty clean and orderly. At one corner of the crossroads stood the most impressive building: a two-story wedge of white marble with a columned portico like an old-fashioned bank. Roman guards stood out front. Over the doorway hung a big purple banner with the gold letters SPQR embroidered inside a laurel wreath.

"Your headquarters?" Andy supposed.

Reyna faced her, her eyes still cold and hostile. "It's called the principia." She scanned the mob of curious campers who had followed them from the river. "Everyone back to your duties. I'll give you an update at evening muster. Remember, we have war games after dinner." The crowd dispersed reluctantly. Some muttered comments about Andy's chances.

"She's dead," said one.

"Would be those two who found her," said another.

"Yeah," muttered another. "Let her join the Fifth Cohort. Greeks and geeks!" Several kids laughed at that, but Reyna scowled at them, and they cleared off.

"Hazel," she said. "Come with us. I want your report on what happened at the gates."

"Me too?" Frank said. "Andy saved my life. We've got to let her—" Reyna gave Frank such a harsh look, he stepped back.

"I'd remind you, Frank Zhang," she said, "you are on _probatio_ yourself. You've caused enough trouble this week." Frank's ears turned red. "Go to the armory," Reyna told him. "Check our inventory. I'll call you if I need you."

"But—" Frank caught himself. "Yes, Reyna." And he hurried off.

Reyna waved Hazel and Andy toward the headquarters. "Now, Andy Jackson, let's see if we can improve your memory."

In the center of the room, a long wooden table was flanked by two life-sized statues of greyhounds, one silver, one gold. Reyna walked behind the table and sat in one of two high-backed chairs. Hazel remained standing. Andy got the feeling she was supposed to also, but she was so tired she didn't care. She took the second chair and Reyna tried to set her on fire with her eyes.

"So…" Andy started to say. The dog statues bared their teeth and growled. She froze.

"Easy, guys," Reyna told the greyhounds. "They won't attack, unless you try to steal something, or unless I tell them to. That's Argentum and Aurum."

"Silver and Gold," Andy nodded eyeing Reyna with curiosity. "We've met before," she decided. "I don't remember when, but... Please, if you can tell me anything-"

"First things first," Reyna said. "I want to hear your story. What do you remember? How did you get here? And don't lie. My dogs don't like liars." Argentum and Aurum snarled to emphasize the point.

Andy told her everything: how she'd woken up alone in the woods of Sonoma, Lupa, the language of gestures, learning to survive and fight. None of it seemed to surprise Reyna. In fact, she seemed to find it pretty ordinary. Except for one thing. "No memory at all?" she asked. "You still remember nothing?"

"A name." Andy said carefully.

"Whose name?"

"It's... personal. And it doesn't matter." But Andy could see him in her mind, his face, his gray eyes, the way he laughed... And suddenly, she was terrified that if she spoke about that memory to anyone, it would evaporate like a dream.

Reyna accepted that. "Most of what you're describing is normal for demigods. At a certain age, one way or another, we find our way to the Wolf House. We're tested and trained. If Lupa thinks we're worthy, she sends us south to join the legion. But I've never heard of someone losing her memory. How did you find Camp Jupiter?"

Andy told her about that too. Then Hazel took the story from there. She described Andy as brave and heroic, which made her uncomfortable. "All I did was carry a hippie bag lady," she said with a shrug.

Reyna studied her. "You're old for a recruit. You're what, eighteen?"

"I have no idea."

"If you spent that many years on your own, without training or help, you should be dead. A daughter of Neptune? You'd have a powerful aura that would attract all kinds of monsters. You must've been somewhere before the Wolf House," she said. When Andy didn't answer, Reyna sighed. "Well, the dogs haven't eaten you, so I suppose you're telling the truth." She stood and paced in front of the banners. "Even if I accept that you're not an enemy, you're not a typical recruit. The Queen of Olympus simply doesn't appear at camp, announcing a new demigod. The last time a major god visited us in person like that…" she shook her head. "I've only heard legends about such things. And a daughter of Neptune… that's not a good omen. Especially now."

"What's wrong with Neptune?" Andy asked. "And what's wrong with now?"

Hazel shot her a warning look.

"You've fought Medusa's sisters, who haven't been seen in thousands of years. You've agitated our Lares, who are calling you a _graecus_. And you wear strange symbols: that shirt, the beads on your necklace. What do they mean?"

Andy looked down at her tattered orange T-shirt. It might have had words on it at one point, but they were too faded to read. As for the necklace, the four clay beads were each decorated with a different symbol, like pictures from a family album.

"I don't know," she said.

"And your sword?" Reyna asked.

Andy uncapped the pen. Hazel gasped. The greyhounds barked apprehensively. "How did you know I had it?"

"I've never seen a sword like that," Hazel muttered.

"I have," Reyna said darkly. "It's very old. A Greek design. We used to have a few in the armory before…" She stopped herself. "The metal is called Celestial bronze. It's deadly to monsters, like Imperial gold, but even rarer."

"Imperial gold?" Andy asked.

Reyna unsheathed her dagger. "The metal was consecrated in ancient times, at the Pantheon in Rome. Its existence was a closely guarded secret of the emperors, a way for their champions to slay monsters that threatened the empire. We used to have more weapons like this, but now… well, we scrape by. I use this dagger. Hazel has a spatha, a cavalry sword. Most legionnaires use a shorter sword called a gladius. But that weapon of yours is not Roman at all. It's another sign you're not a typical demigod. And your arm..."

"What about it?" Andy asked.

Reyna held up her own forearm. Andy hadn't noticed before, but she had a tattoo on the inside: the letters SPQR, a crossed sword and torch, and under that, four parallel lines like score marks. Andy glanced at Hazel.

"We all have them," she confirmed, holding up her arm. "All full members of the legion do." Hazel's tattoo also had the letters SPQR, but she only had one score mark, and her emblem was different.

"So you've never been a member of the legion," Reyna said. "These marks can't be removed. I thought perhaps…" She shook her head, as if dismissing an idea.

Hazel leaned forward. "If she's survived as a loner all this time, maybe she's seen Lena. Andy, have you ever met a demigod like us before? A blonde girl in a purple shirt, with marks on her arm..."

"Hazel." Reyna's voice tightened. "Andy's got enough to worry about."

Andy touched the point of her sword, and Riptide shrank back into a pen. "I haven't seen anyone like you guys before. Who's Lena?"

Reyna gave Hazel an irritated look. "She was… she _is_ my colleague." Her tone made it clear Lena had been a bit more than that. Reyna waved at the chair Andy was using. "The legion normally has two elected praetors. Lena Grace, daughter of Jupiter, was our other praetor until she disappeared last week."

"Don't you have to replace her?" Andy asked. "Do you think you can find her?"

"She might not be dead," Hazel said. "We haven't given up."

Reyna grimaced. "Elections only happen in two ways. Either the legion raises someone on a shield after a major success on the battlefield, and we haven't had any major battles, or we hold a ballot at the Feast of Fortuna. That's in ten days."

Andy frowned. "You have a feast for tuna?"

"Fortuna," Hazel corrected. "She's the goddess of luck. Whatever happens on her feast day can affect the entire rest of the year. She can grant the camp good luck… or really bad luck."

"The Feast of Fortune…" Andy mumbled. "The gorgons mentioned that. So did Juno. They said the camp was going to be attacked on that day, something about a big bad goddess named Gaea, and an army, and Death being unleashed. You're telling me that day is next week?"

Reyna's fingers tightened around the hilt of her dagger. "You will say nothing about that outside this room," she ordered. "I will not have you spreading more panic in the camp."

"So it's true," Andy said. "Do you know what's going to happen? Can we stop it?"

"We've talked enough for now," Reyna said. "Hazel, take her to Temple Hill. Find Octavian"

"Yes, Reyna."

"Good luck with the augury, Andy Jackson," Reyna said. "If Octavian lets you live, perhaps we can compare notes… about your past."

* * *

As they approached the front gate, the barracks got bigger and nicer. Even the ghosts looked better, with fancier armor and shinier auras.

"You guys are divided into different cabins?" Andy asked.

"Sort of. We have five cohorts of about forty kids each. Each cohort is divided into barracks of ten, like roommates, kind of."

"And everyone here is a child of the gods? They've been busy..."

Hazel laughed. "Not all of them are children of major gods. There are hundreds of minor Roman gods. Plus, a lot of the campers are legacies, second or third generation. Maybe their parents were demigods. Or their grandparents."

Andy blinked. "Children of demigods?"

"Why? Does that surprise you?"

"I... I'm not sure," she pointed to her head. "It's a mess in here right now. But these Legos-"

"Legacies," Hazel corrected.

"They have powers like a demigod?"

"Sometimes. And they can be trained. All the best Roman generals and emperors, you know, they all claimed to be descended from gods. Most of the time, they were telling the truth. The camp augur we're going to meet, Octavian, he's a legacy, descendant of Apollo. He's got the gift of prophecy, supposedly."

"Supposedly?"

Hazel made a sour face. "I have my doubts."

"And the divisions," Andy asked, "the cohorts, whatever... you're divided according to who your godly parent is?"

Hazel stared at her. "What a horrible idea! No, the officers decide where to assign recruits. If we were divided according to god, the cohorts would be all uneven. I'd be alone."

"Why? What's your ancestry?"

Hazel ignored the question. She pointed south across the river. Dark clouds were gathering over Temple Hill. Red flashes of lightning washed the monuments in blood-colored light. "Octavian is busy. We'd better get over there."

At the top of the hill, a round pavilion with a ring of white columns supporting a domed roof. "I'm guessing that's Zeus... uh, I mean, Jupiter's? That's where we're heading?"

"Yeah." Hazel sounded edgy. "Octavian reads auguries there, the Temple of Jupiter _Optimus Maximus_."

"The best and the greatest?"

"Right."

"A little over the top, no? What's Neptune's title? The coolest and most awesome?"

"Um, not quite." Hazel gestured to a small blue building the size of a toolshed. A cobweb-covered trident was nailed above the door.

Andy peeked inside. On a small altar sat a bowl with three dried-up, moldy apples. "Oh... Cool."

"I'm sorry, Andy," Hazel said. "It's just… Romans were always scared of the sea. They only used ships if they had to. Even in modern times, having a child of Neptune around has always been a bad omen. The last time one joined the legion… well, it was 1906, when Camp Jupiter was located across the bay in San Francisco. There was this huge earthquake-"

"You're telling me a child of Neptune caused that?"

"So they say." Hazel looked apologetic. "Anyway… Romans fear Neptune, but they don't love him much." Above them, thunder rumbled. Red lightning lit up the hill. "Octavian's almost done. Let's go."

The whole temple was open to the wind. In the center stood a marble altar, where a kid in a toga was doing some sort of ritual in front of a massive golden statue of Jupiter, the sky god, holding a lightning bolt.

"It doesn't look like that," Andy muttered.

"What?" Hazel asked.

"The master bolt," she said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I—" Andy frowned. "I don't know."

The kid at the altar raised his hands. More red lightning flashed in the sky, shaking the temple. Then he put his hands down, and the rumbling stopped. The clouds turned from gray to white and broke apart. He was tall and skinny, with straw-colored hair, oversized jeans, a baggy T-shirt, and a drooping toga.

"Impressive trick. What's he doing?" Andy asked.

The guy in the toga turned. He had a crooked smile and a slightly crazy look in his eyes. In one hand he held a knife. In the other hand was something like a dead animal.

"Andy," Hazel said, "this is Octavian."

"The _graecus!_ " Octavian announced. "How interesting."

"Uh, hi," Andy said. "Are you killing small animals?"

Octavian looked at the fuzzy thing in his hand and laughed. "No, no. Once upon a time, yes. We used to read the will of the gods by examining animal guts: chickens, goats, that sort of thing. Nowadays, we use these."

He tossed the fuzzy thing to Andy. It was a disemboweled teddy bear. "Seriously?" she asked.

Octavian narrowed his eyes. "You seem nervous."

"You remind me of someone," Andy said. "I can't remember who."

"Possibly my namesake, Octavian: Augustus Caesar. Everyone says I bear a remarkable resemblance."

"Yeah, I don't think so, no. Why did you call me _'the Greek'?_ ""

"I saw it in the auguries." Octavian waved his knife at the pile of stuffing on the altar. "The message said: _The Greek has arrived_. Or possibly: _The goose has cried._ I'm thinking the first interpretation is correct. You seek to join the legion?"

Hazel spoke for Andy. She told Octavian everything. When she mentioned Juno, he looked surprised.

"Juno," he mused. "We call her Juno Moneta. Juno the Warner. She appears in times of crisis, to counsel Rome about great threats."

"I hear the Feast of Fortuna is this week," Andy said. "The gorgons warned there'd be an invasion on that day. Did you see that in your stuffing?"

"Sadly, no." Octavian sighed. "The will of the gods is hard to discern. And these days, my vision is even darker."

"Don't you have… I don't know," Andy said, "an oracle or something?"

"An oracle!" Octavian smiled. "What a cute idea. No, I'm afraid we're fresh out of oracles. Now, if we'd gone questing for the Sibylline books, like I recommended-"

"The Siba-what?"

"Books of prophecy," Hazel said, "which Octavian is obsessed with. Romans used to consult them when disasters happened. Most people believe they burned up when Rome fell."

"Some people believe that," Octavian corrected. "Unfortunately our present leadership won't authorize a quest to look for them-"

"Because Reyna isn't stupid," Hazel said.

"-so we have only a few remaining scraps from the books," Octavian continued. "A few mysterious predictions, like these."He nodded to the inscriptions on the marble floor. Andy stared at the lines of words and almost choked.

"That one." She pointed, translating as she read aloud: _"Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire the world must fall—"_

"Yes, yes." Octavian finished it without looking: _"An oath to keep with a final breath, and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death."_

"I... I know that one. It's important. Anthony-" her voice trembled. Her heard was spinning and her heart was about to explode.

"Who?" Octavian arched an eyebrow. "Of course it's important. We call it the Prophecy of Seven, but it's several thousand years old. We don't know what it means. Every time someone tries to interpret it… Well, Hazel can tell you. Bad things happen."

Hazel glared at him. "Just read the augury for her. Can she join the legion or not?"

Octavian held out his hand for Andy's backpack. "That's a beautiful specimen. May I?" He snatched the panda pillow that was sticking out of the top of her pack. It was just a silly stuffed toy, but Andy was kind of fond of it; she had eve named it Tony. Octavian turned toward the altar and raised his knife.

Andy protested. "Don't you dare...!"

Octavian slashed open the panda's belly and poured its stuffing over the altar. He tossed the panda carcass aside, muttered a few words over the fluff, and turned with a big smile on his face. "Good news!" he said. "Andy may join the legion. We'll assign her a cohort at evening muster. Tell Reyna that I approve."

Hazel's shoulders relaxed. "Uh… great. Come on, Andy."

Andy's mouth hung open. "He killed..."

"Oh, and Hazel," Octavian said. "I'm happy to welcome Andy into the legion. But when the election for praetor comes up, I hope you'll remember—"

"Lena isn't dead," Hazel snapped. "You're the augur. You're supposed to be looking for her!"

"Oh, I am!" Octavian pointed at the pile of gutted stuffed animals. "I consult the gods every day! Alas, after eight months, I've found nothing. Of course, I'm still looking. But if Lena doesn't return by the Feast of Fortuna, we must act. We can't have a power vacuum any longer. I hope you'll support me for praetor. It would mean so much to me."

Hazel clenched her fists. "Me. Support. You?"

"After all," Octavian told Hazel, "I might be able to help you. It would be a shame if those awful rumors about you kept circulating… or, gods forbid, if they turned out to be true."

Hazel took a deep breath. Her knuckles were white. "I'll think about it."

"Excellent," Octavian said. "By the way, your brother is here."

Hazel stiffened. "My brother? Why?"

Octavian shrugged. "Why does your strange brother do anything? He's waiting for you at your father's shrine. Just… ah, don't invite him to stay too long. He has a disturbing effect on the others. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to keep searching for our poor lost friend, Lena. Nice to meet you, Andy."

"You killed Tony," she breathed out. Hazel had to pull her by the arm as she stormed out of the pavilion.


	5. Fire Curse

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part III - _Like fire, hellfire, this fire in my skin. This burning desire is turning me to sin._

* * *

"So... What's up with this Vulcan business?" Leo asked carefully. He knew that angry looking girl had no interest in talking to him, but he was starting to drown in a sea of unasked questions.

"Yeah, we don't call the gods by their Roman names," Clarisse said. "The original names are Greek. Say Hephaestus."

"Festus?"

"Holy war, you're denser than Jackson. He-phaestus," she corrected with an eye-roll. "God of blacksmiths and fire."

Considering what had happened to his mom, that seemed like a sick joke. Leo tried to brush off the memories. "So the flaming hammer over my head," Leo said. "Good thing, or bad thing?"

Clarisse took a while to answer. "You were claimed almost immediately. Most people would say it's good."

"But some wouldn't? That Rainbow Pony dude, Butch... he mentioned a curse."

Clarisse sneered. "Butch talks too much. He also buys whatever anyone's selling, that loser. Since Cabin Nine's last head counselor died-"

"Died? Like, painfully?"

"You ask a lot of questions, newbie. Just leave me alone. Your bunkmates will tell you about it."

"Fine. Where are my home dawgs? Shouldn't their counselor be giving me the VIP tour?"

"Believe me, no one would like that more than me. Unfortunately for the both of us, he can't." And Clarisse forged ahead before Leo could ask anything else.

"Curses and death," he said to himself. "This just gets better and better." He was halfway across the green when he spotted his old babysitter. Leo froze in his tracks.

"What now, nerd?" Clarisse asked.

Leo hadn't seen her since he was five years old. She was just standing there, in the shadow of a big white cabin at the end of the green, watching him. "That woman…" he said. "What's she doing here?"

Clarisse tried to follow his gaze. "What lady?" she frowned. "If you're messing with you, I'll fry you with my spear." Leo hesitated, not sure of what to say. Clarisse sighed and her voice became gentler. "I think you've had a long day, alright? The Mist could still be playing tricks on your mind. How about we head straight to your cabin now? I have other things to do with my day."

"Yeah..." Leo tried to put on a smile. "Just messing with you, girl. Don't fry me, please." He pulled some gears and levers from his pockets and started fiddling with them to calm his nerves. "Let's go see Cabin Nine. I'm in the mood for a good curse."

The entrance was like a bank vault door, circular and several feet thick. Inside, the cabin seemed deserted. A large workbench overflowed with scrap metal, screws, bolts, washers, nails, rivets, and a million other machine parts.

His mom would've loved it. Another thought he had to push away. He didn't like painful memories. _Keep moving_ , that was his motto. Don't dwell on things. Don't stay in one place too long. It was the only way to stay ahead of the sadness.

He picked a long implement from the wall. "A weed whacker? What's the god of fire want with a weed whacker?"

A voice in the shadows said, "You'd be surprised."

At the back of the room, one of the bunk beds was occupied. It was hard to tell much about the guy because he was covered in a body cast. His head was wrapped in gauze except for his face, which was puffy and bruised. "I'm Jake Mason," he said. "I'd shake your hand, but…"

"Leo Valdez," Leo said. "Don't get up on my account."

The guy cracked a smile, then winced like it hurt to move his face. "Uh... Welcome to Cabin Nine. Been almost a year since we had any new kids. I'm head counselor for now."

"For now?" Leo asked.

"Where are the other nerds, Jake?" Clarisse asked, annoyed.

"Down at the forges," Jake said wistfully. "They're working on… you know, that problem."

Clarisse crossed her arms. "So, you got a spare bed for this loser?"

Jake studied Leo, sizing him up. "You believe in curses, man? Or ghosts?"

"Ghosts? Pfft. Nah. I'm cool. A storm spirit chucked me down the Grand Canyon this morning, but you know, all in a day's work, right?"

Jake nodded. "That's good. Because I'll give you the best bed in the cabin: Beckendorf's."

"Oh, that I'd like to see," grinned Clarisse.

Jake called out: "Bunk 1-A, please." The whole cabin rumbled. A circular section of the floor spiraled open like a camera lens, and a full-size bed popped up.

Leo jumped right in and lay back with arms behind his head. "I think I can handle this."

"It retracts into a private room below," Jake said.

"Oh, heck, yes," Leo said. "See y'all. I'll be down in the Leo Cave. Who's the loser now?"

"Still you," Clarisse said. She looked back at Jake. "Since when you guys have private underground rooms?"

Jake probably would've smiled if it didn't hurt so much. "We got lots of secrets, La Rue. You Ares guys can't have all the fun. Our campers have been excavating the tunnel system under Cabin Nine for almost a century. We still haven't found the end. Anyway, Leo, if you don't mind sleeping in a dead man's bed, it's yours."

"The counselor who died? This was his bed?"

"Yeah," Jake said. "Charles Beckendorf."

"He didn't, like, die _in_ this bed, did he?"

"No," Jake said. "In the Titan War, last summer."

"The Titan War," Leo repeated, not very interested, "which has nothing to do with this very fine bed?"

"The Titans tried to make a comeback last summer," Clarisse clarified, like Leo was an idiot. "Their leader, Kronos, built a new palace on top of Mount Tam in California. A lot of demigods died trying to stop them."

Leo smiled. "Nothing to do with this bed then. Terrific."

"The thing is," said Jake, "Beckendorf was one of the first casualties, and ever since then-"

"Your cabin's been cursed," Leo guessed.

Jake sighed halfheartedly. "Well, I should get some sleep. I hope you like it here, Leo. It used to be… really nice."

"Okay, come with me," Clarisse called. "I'll take you to the forges. Rest, Mason."

"How did he die?" Leo asked as soon as they were out the door. "I mean, Beckendorf."

Clarisse trudged ahead. "Explosion. Beckendorf and Andy Jackson blew up a cruise ship full of monsters. Beckendorf didn't make it out."

"Andy Jackson?" Leo repeated. "Anthony's missing girlfriend? The chick must've been into everything around here."

"Ugh, you have no idea."

"So Beckendorf was pretty popular?" Leo asked. "I mean... before he blew up?"

"He was..." Clarisse paused. "He was alright. It was hard on the whole camp when he died. Jake... he became head counselor in the middle of the war. Did his best, but never wanted to be leader. He just likes building stuff. Then after the war, things started to go wrong. Cabin Nine's chariots blew up. Their automatons went haywire. Their inventions started to malfunction. It was like a curse, and eventually people started calling it that: the Curse of Cabin Nine. Then Jake had his accident-"

"Which had something to do with the problem he mentioned," Leo guessed.

"They're working on it," Clarisse said without enthusiasm. "And here we are."

They stepped through the doorway, and a dozen guys and girls who'd been working on various projects all froze.

"'Sup, nerds," Clarisse said. "This is your new brother, Leo Valdez. Congrats. Another loser for Cabin Nine. Hurray."

Leo looked around at the other campers. Kids came up and started shaking hands and introducing themselves. Their names blurred together: Shane, Christopher, Nyssa, Harley. Too many of them. Too overwhelming.

None of them looked like the others: all different face types, skin tone, hair color, height. But they all had powerful hands, rough with calluses and stained with engine grease. Their shoulders slumped like life had beaten them down pretty hard. Several looked like they'd been physically beaten up, too.

"Well, all right!" Leo said. "I hear this is the party cabin!" Nobody laughed. They all just stared at him.

Clarisse revealed a wicked smile. "I'll leave you guys to get acquainted. Somebody show Leo to dinner when it's time?"

"I got it, La Rue," one of the girls said. Nyssa, Leo remembered.

"Cool," Leo said. "I always wanted a sister who could beat me up."

Nyssa didn't smile. "Come on, joker boy. I'll show you around. And don't touch anything unless you want to suffer a very painful death. Since Chuck... Well, we have to be careful. Everything we build turns to junk."

"The curse?"

Nyssa frowned. "I don't believe in curses. But something's wrong. And if we don't figure out the dragon problem, it's gonna get even worse."

"The dragon problem?"

Nyssa took him over to a big wall map that a couple of girls were studying. The map showed the entire camp.

"Hold up," Leo said. "You guys lost a dragon? A real full-size dragon?"

"It's a bronze dragon," Nyssa said. "But yes, it's a life-size automaton. Hephaestus cabin built it years ago. Then it was lost in the woods until a few summers back, when Beckendorf found it in pieces and rebuilt it. It's been helping protect the camp, but, um, it's a little unpredictable."

"Unpredictable," Leo said.

"It goes haywire and smashes down cabins, sets people on fire, tries to eat the satyrs."

"That _is_ pretty unpredictable."

Nyssa nodded. "Beckendorf was the only one who could control it. Then he died, and the dragon just got worse and worse. Finally it went berserk and ran off. Occasionally it shows up, demolishes something, and runs away again. Everyone expects us to find it and destroy it—"

 _"Destroy it?"_ Leo was appalled. "You've got a life-size bronze dragon, and you want to destroy it?"

"It breathes fire," Nyssa explained. "It's deadly and out of control."

"But it's a dragon! Dude, that's so awesome. Can't you try talking to it, controlling it?"

"We tried. Jake Mason tried. You saw how well that worked. There's no other option." Nyssa turned to the other girls. "Let's try more traps in the woods... here, here, and here. Bait them with thirty-weight motor oil."

"The dragon drinks that?" Leo asked.

"Yeah." Nyssa sighed regretfully. "He used to like it with a little Tabasco sauce, right before bed. If he springs a trap, we can come in with acid sprayers... should melt through his hide. Then we get metal cutters and… and finish the job."

"Guys," Leo said. "There has to be another way."

Nyssa looked doubtful, but a few other campers stopped what they were working on and drifted over to hear the conversation. "Like what?" one asked. "The thing breathes fire. We can't even get close."

Oh, man, the things Leo could tell them about fire…

"Well…" he hesitated. "Hephaestus is the god of fire, right? So don't any of you have like fire resistance or something?"

Nobody acted as if it was a crazy question, which was a relief, but Nyssa shook her head gravely. "That's a Cyclops ability, Leo. Demigod children of Hephaestus… we're just good with our hands. We're builders, craftsmen, weaponsmiths... stuff like that."

Leo's shoulders slumped. "Oh."

A guy in back said, "Well, a long time ago—"

"Yeah, okay," Nyssa conceded. "A long time ago some children of Hephaestus were born with power over fire. But that ability was very, very rare. And always dangerous. No demigod like that has been born in centuries. When a child of Hephaestus like that appears, it usually means something catastrophic is about to happen. And we don't need any more catastrophes."

"I guess I see your point." Leo felt his heart in his throat. "Too bad, though. If you could resist flames, you could get close to the dragon."

"Then it would kill you with its claws and fangs," Nyssa said. "Or simply step on you. No, we've got to destroy it. Trust me, if anyone could figure out another answer…"

She didn't finish, but Leo got the message. This was the cabin's big test. If they could do something only Beckendorf could do, if they could subdue the dragon without killing it, then maybe their curse would be lifted. But they were stumped for ideas. Any camper who figured out how would be a hero.

A conch horn blew in the distance and his cabinmates filed out of the forge to go to dinner. Leo asked to stay a little longer, alone. He held out his hand and studied his fingers. He'd promised himself never to use it again. But he felt an urge to try it now; something he hadn't done since the accident, since his mom's death.

Leo extended his fingers and felt them tingle, like they were waking up. Then flames flickered to life, curls of red-hot fire dancing across his palm.


	6. Richness in Memory

Act II - **From The Sea We Rise**

Part III - _Somehow I cannot hide who I am… though I've tried._

* * *

Until that morning, her brother Nico had been the most powerful demigod she knew. He was more dangerous than Reyna, or Octavian, or maybe even Lena. But then Hazel had met Andy Jackson. At first, Hazel had thought she might be a goddess in disguise. Even though she was beat up, dirty, and stooped with exhaustion, she'd had an aura of power.

Nico was also affected by her looks, Hazel noticed. She had led Andy to the black crypt built into the side of the hill where Nico usually waited for her. He didn't look anything like Hazel. He wore a silver skull ring, a chain for a belt, and a black overcoat. At his side hung a pure-black sword. When he saw Andy, he seemed shocked, panicked even, like he'd been caught in a searchlight.

"This is Andy Jackson," Hazel said. "Andy, this is my brother, the son of Pluto."

Nico tried to appear normal and shook her hand. "Nice to... meet you," he stammered. "I'm Nico di Angelo." They studied each other warily. Nico looked pained when she touched him, but that was nothing compared to the shadow that crossed his face when Andy said: "I... I know you."

He pulled his hand away from hers like he'd been electrocuted. "Do you?" He looked at Hazel for explanation. Then Andy moved forward and her hands found his face. The boy stumbled backward trying to get away from her, but she held him in place and even pulled him closer to have a better look. Nico's eyes widened as he looked into her sea-green eyes.

Hazel hesitated. Something about her brother's reaction wasn't right. He already knew Andy, Hazel was absolutely sure of it. She forced herself to speak. "Um… Andy lost her memory. I thought… you know, you travel all over. Maybe you've met demigods like her before, or..."

Nico's expression turned as dark as Tartarus. "I never met anyone like her," he breathed.

"But I know you," Andy answered just as softly, still touching his face. "You're important... to me..." her voice died out and she stepped away from him, her cheeks turning red. Nico seemed relieved to be free from her touch. Hazel took the moment to tell him everything that had happened.

"This story about Gaea's army," Nico said. "You warned Reyna?"

Andy nodded. "Who is Gaea, anyway?"

"She's the earth goddess." Nico glanced at the ground as if it might be listening. "The oldest goddess of all. She's in a deep sleep most of the time, but she hates the gods and their children."

"Mother Earth… is evil?"

"Very," Nico said gravely. "She convinced her son, the Titan Kronos... um, I mean, Saturn... to kill his dad, Uranus, and take over the world. The Titans ruled for a long time. Then the Titans' children, the Olympian gods, overthrew them."

"That sounds familiar," Andy said like an old memory had partially surfaced. "But I don't think I ever heard the part about Gaea."

Nico shrugged. "She got mad when the gods took over. She took a new husband, Tartarus, the spirit of the abyss, and gave birth to a race of giants. They tried to destroy Mount Olympus, but the gods finally beat them. At least…the first time."

"The first time?" Andy repeated.

"Last summer," Nico continued, "Saturn tried to make a comeback. There was a second Titan war. The Romans at Camp Jupiter stormed his headquarters on Mount Othrys, across the bay, and destroyed his throne. Saturn disappeared..." he hesitated, watching Andy's face. "Um, anyway, Saturn probably faded back to the abyss. We all thought the war was over. Now it looks like the Titans' defeat stirred up Gaea. She's starting to wake. I've heard reports of giants being reborn. If they mean to challenge the gods again, they'll probably start by destroying the demigods."

"You've told Reyna this?" Andy asked.

"Of course." Nico's jaw tensed. "The Romans don't trust me. That's why I was hoping she'd listen to you. Children of Pluto… well, no offense, but they think we're even worse than children of Neptune. We're bad luck."

"Everything seems to be bad luck around here," Andy noted. "But they let Hazel stay here."

"That's different," Nico said.

"Why?"

"Andy," Hazel cut in, "look, the giants aren't the worst problem. Even... even Gaea isn't the worst problem. The thing you noticed about the gorgons, how they wouldn't die, that's our biggest worry." She looked at Nico. "Nico and I," she said carefully, "we think that what's happening is… Death isn't..." Before she could finish, a shout came from down the hill.

Frank jogged toward them. His hands were covered with grease from cleaning weapons. As it did every time she saw Frank, Hazel's heart performed a little skip-beat tap-dance; which really irritated her. She hadn't felt like that since... Well, since Sammy.

He reached the shrine. "Hey, Nico…"

"Frank." Nico smiled. He seemed to find Frank amusing, maybe because Frank was the only one at camp who wasn't uneasy around the children of Pluto.

"Reyna sent me to get Andy," Frank said. "Did Octavian accept you?"

"Yeah," Andy said. "He slaughtered my panda, that brute."

"He... Oh. The augury? Yeah, teddy bears must have nightmares about that guy. But you're in! We need to get you cleaned up before evening muster."

"Frank," Nico interrupted, "why don't you take... uh, _Andy_ down? Hazel and I will be along soon."

"That's... that's a good idea," Hazel managed. "Go ahead, guys. We'll catch up."

Andy looked at Nico one more time, as though she was still trying to place a memory. "Can I just..." she hesitated. "Do you... Do you know Anthony?"

Nico flinched. He tried to answer but nothing came out. "No," he tried again, a little louder this time. "Sorry."

Andy narrowed her eyes like she was trying not to cry. Then she waved at them and followed Frank down the hill.

"You know her, don't you," Hazel accused as soon as they were left alone.

Nico gazed across the valley. "Andy Jackson." He said the name like an incantation. "Hazel, I have to be careful what I say. Important things are at work here. Some secrets need to stay secret. You of all people... you should understand that."

Hazel's cheeks felt hot. "But she's not like… like me?"

"No. I'm sorry I can't tell you more. I can't interfere. She has to find her own way at this camp."

"Is she dangerous?" she asked.

Nico managed a dry smile. "Very. To her enemies. But she's not a threat to Camp Jupiter. You can trust her." He twisted his skull ring. Around him, bones began to quiver as if they were trying to form a new skeleton. Whenever he got moody, Nico had that effect on the dead, kind of like Hazel's curse. Between them, they represented Pluto's two spheres of control: death and riches. "Look, I know this is hard. But you have a second chance. You can make things right."

"Nothing about this is right," Hazel said. "If they find out the truth about me..."

"They won't," Nico promised. "They'll call a quest soon. They have to. You'll make me proud, Bi—" He caught himself, but Hazel knew what he'd almost called her: _Bianca_ , his real sister. "I'm sorry."

"Then it's true about Death? Is Alcyoneus to blame?"

"I think so," Nico said. "It's getting bad in the Underworld. Dad's going crazy trying to keep things under control. From what you said about the gorgons, things are getting worse up here, too. But look, that's why you're here. All that stuff in your past... you can make something good come out of it. You belong at Camp Jupiter."

Suddenly, Hazel was no longer there with him. She was walking home alone. Kids at school had teased and yelled at her, and stole her lunch, calling her cursed-diamonds girl. But Sammy had also been there with that crazy smile and he could always make Hazel laugh.

They liked to ride horses together. Hazel loved horses. They seemed to be the only living things that weren't scared of her. People hated her. Cats hissed. Dogs growled. But when she was in the saddle, she could ride so fast that there was no chance of gemstones cropping up in her wake. She almost felt free of her curse.

That afternoon, Sammy, as if moved by a sudden impulse, had lurched forward and kissed her on the lips. It wasn't much. Just one kiss. But Hazel felt like she was floating.

The image changed and Hazel was now climbing the stairs to her house when she ran into a man in a dark suit; her father. He gripped her shoulders with strong, cold fingers. She noticed the silver skull ring on his finger and tried to pull away, but even when the man let go, she couldn't seem to move. His eyes froze her in place.

"Hazel Levesque," he said in a melancholy voice. "You've grown."

Hazel started to tremble. At the base of the stairs, the cement stoop cracked under the man's feet. A glittering stone popped up from the concrete. He looked at it, unsurprised, and bent down.

"Don't!" Hazel cried. "It's cursed!"

He picked up the stone: a perfectly formed emerald. "Yes, it is. But not to me. Worth more than this building, I imagine." He slipped the emerald in his pocket. "I'm sorry for your fate, child. I imagine you hate me. Life is never easy for my children, but I fear you bear a special burden. What has your mother told you, Hazel? Has she never explained her wish? Or told you why you were born under a curse?" Pluto sighed. "Poor child. You were born too soon. I cannot see your future clearly, but someday you will find your place. A descendant of Neptune will wash away your curse and give you peace. I fear, though, that is not for many years..."

Then Nico was shaking her shoulders. "You did it again."

Hazel blinked. Diamonds had surfaced around her. "S-sorry," she murmured.

"Don't be," Nico said. "Where were you?"

"Several places."

"You have to work on controlling those memories," he warned. "If a flashback like that happens when you're in combat—"

"I know. I'm trying."

Nico squeezed her hand. "It's okay. I think it's a side effect from… you know, your time in the Underworld. Hopefully it'll get easier."

Hazel wasn't so sure. "I can't go north again," she said. "Nico, if I have to go back to where it happened—"

"You'll be fine," he promised. "You'll have friends this time. Andy Jackson... she's got a role to play in this. You can sense that, can't you? She's a good person to have at your side."  
 _  
A descendant of Neptune will wash away your curse and give you peace,_ Pluto had said.

"Where did she come from?" Hazel asked. "Why do the ghosts call her Greek?"

Before Nico could respond, horns blew across the river. The legionnaires were gathering for evening muster. "We'd better get down there," Nico said. "I have a feeling tonight's war games are going to be interesting."

* * *

On the way back, Hazel ran past Reyna, who was cantering back and forth on her pegasus Scipio. The metal dogs Aurum and Argentum trotted at her side.  
"Nico di Angelo," she said with interest, "so glad you could join us."

Nico gave her a short nod.

"Romans!" Reyna announced. "You've probably heard about the incursion today. Two gorgons were swept into the river by this newcomer, Andy Jackson. Juno herself guided her here, and proclaimed her a child of land and sea." The kids in the back rows craned their necks to see Andy standing beside Reyna. "She seeks to join the legion," Reyna continued. "What do the auguries say?"

"I have read the entrails!" Octavian announced. "The auguries are favorable. She is qualified to serve!"

The campers gave a shout: "Ave!" Hail!

Reyna motioned the senior officers forward, one from each cohort. Octavian, as the most senior centurion, turned to Andy. "Recruit," he asked, "do you have credentials? Letters of reference?"

Andy shifted. "Letters? Who would write letters about me?"

Octavian wrinkled his nose. "No letters," he said regretfully. "Will any legionnaires stand for her?"

"I will!" Frank stepped forward. "She saved my life!"

Immediately there were shouts of protest from the other cohorts.

Reyna glared at Frank. "Frank Zhang," she said, "for the second time today, I remind you that you are on _probatio_. Your godly parent has not even claimed you yet. You're not eligible to stand for another camper until you've earned your first stripe."

Frank looked like he might die of embarrassment.

Hazel stepped out of line and said, "What Frank means is that Andy saved both our lives. I am a full member of the legion. I will stand for Andy Jackson."

Frank glanced at her gratefully, but the other campers started to mutter. Hazel was barely eligible. She wasn't doing Andy much of a favor by giving her support.

Reyna wrinkled her nose, but she turned to Octavian. The augur smiled and shrugged, like the idea amused him. Putting Andy in the Fifth would make her less of a threat, and Octavian liked to keep all his enemies in one place.

"Very well," Reyna announced. "Hazel Levesque, you may stand for the recruit. Does your cohort accept her?"

Frank pounded his shield against the ground. The other members of the Fifth followed his lead, though they didn't seem very excited. Their centurions, Dakota and Gwen, exchanged pained looks.

"My cohort has spoken," Dakota said. "We accept the recruit."

Reyna looked at Andy with pity. "Congratulations, Andy Jackson. You stand on _probatio_. You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valor, you will become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honor. _Senatus Populusque Romanus!"_

The rest of the legion echoed the cheer.

Reyna wheeled her pegasus away from Andy, like she was glad to be done with her. "Centurions," she said, "you and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the Field of Mars. The First and Second Cohorts will defend. The Third, Fourth, and Fifth will attack. Good fortune!"

A bigger cheer went up, for the war games and for dinner. The cohorts broke ranks and ran for the mess hall.

Hazel waved at Andy, who made her way through the crowd with Nico at her side. To Hazel's surprise, Nico was beaming at her. "Good job," he said to her. "That took guts, standing for her."

One of the guards had given Andy her _probatio_ nameplate, which she strung on her leather necklace. "Yeah, thanks, Hazel," she said. "Um, what exactly does it mean you standing for me?"

"I guarantee your good behavior," Hazel explained. "I teach you the rules, answer your questions, make sure you don't disgrace the legion."

"And… if I do something wrong?"

"Then I get killed along with you," Hazel said.

Andy stopped at that. "Oh... Have I mentioned I don't have a good behavior? I also don't do well with rules and I'm pretty sure that if someone can disgrace an entire legion, that someone it's me."

Nico smiled like that reminded him of something.

"We'll be fine," Hazel assured her. "I think."

The Fifth Cohort took the place of least honor. Their tables were at the back of the dining hall next to the kitchen.

Dakota was a beefy guy with curly black hair and eyes that didn't quite line up straight. "So." He burped. "Welcome to the Andy, party." He frowned. "Party, Andy."

"Um, thanks," Andy said, but her attention was focused on Nico. "I was wondering if we could talk, you know… about where I might have seen you before."

"Sure," Nico said a little too quickly. "The thing is, I spend most of my time in the Underworld. So unless I met you there somehow—"

Dakota belched. "Ambassador from Pluto, they call him. Reyna's never sure what to do with this guy when he visits. You should have seen her face when he showed up with Hazel, asking Reyna to take her in. Um, no offense."

"None taken." Nico seemed relieved to change the topic. "Dakota was really helpful, standing for Hazel."

"She's pretty!" Dakota exclaimed, then blushed. "I mean, she seemed like a good kid. Last month, when she saved me from, uh, you know."

"Oh, man!" Frank said. "Andy, you should have seen her! That's how Hazel got her stripe. The unicorns decided to stampede—"

"It was nothing," Hazel said.

"Nothing?" Frank protested. "Dakota would've gotten trampled! You stood right in front of them, shooed them away, saved his hide. I've never seen anything like it."

Andy studied her. Those sea-green eyes made Hazel unsettled. She assumed they had the same effect on her brother. "Did you and Nico grow up together?" Andy asked.

"No," Nico answered for her. "I found out that Hazel was my sister only recently. She's from New Orleans. There aren't many of us, so we have to stick together. When I found Hazel—"

"But you have another sister?" Andy said before hesitating. "I mean... uh... do you?"

"One," Nico admitted. "But she died. Her spirit has left the Underworld." His voice turned hoarse. "She chose to be reborn into a new life. Now I'll never see her again. I was just lucky to find Hazel… in New Orleans."

Dakota grunted. "Unless you believe the rumors."

"Rumors?" Andy asked.

But Dakota was no longer listening. He wiped his mouth and shook all over, like a dog trying to get dry. Then he staggered away, his goblet sloshing.

"Where is he going?" Andy asked.

Frank sighed. "Who knows... He's a son of Bacchus, the wine god. He's got a drinking problem."

"Okay. So tell me... why is it bad to be in the Fifth Cohort? You guys are great."

The compliment made Hazel's toes tingle. "It's… complicated. That actually started way before us." She pointed to the back wall, where the legion's standards were on display. "See the empty pole in the middle? The legion lost its eagle a long time ago-"

"An eagle?"

Frank looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "It's the symbol of the whole camp, a big eagle made of gold. It's supposed to protect us in battle and make our enemies afraid. Each legion's eagle gave it all sorts of power, and ours came from Jupiter himself. Supposedly Julius Caesar nicknamed our legion _Fulminata_ , armed with lightning, because of what the eagle could do."

"I don't like lightning," Andy said.

"Yeah, well," Hazel said, "the Twelfth lost its eagle the first time way back in ancient days, during the Jewish Rebellion. Each legion guarded theirs to the last man, because it was charged with power from the gods. They'd rather hide it or melt it down than surrender it to an enemy. That first time, we got our eagle back. But the second time…"

"You guys were there?" Andy asked.

They both shook their heads. "I'm almost as new as you." Frank said. "Just got here last month. But everyone's heard the story. It's bad luck to even talk about this. There was this huge expedition to Alaska back in the eighties..."

"That prophecy you noticed in the temple," Hazel continued, "the one about the seven demigods and the Doors of Death? Our senior praetor at the time was Michael Varus, from the Fifth Cohort. Back then the Fifth was the best in camp. He thought it would bring glory to the legion if he could figure out the prophecy and make it come true. He talked to the augur, and the augur said the answer was in Alaska. But he warned Michael it wasn't time yet. The prophecy wasn't for him."

"But he went anyway," Andy guessed. "What happened?"

Frank lowered his voice. "Long, gruesome story. Almost the entire Fifth Cohort was wiped out. Most of legion's Imperial gold weapons were lost, along with the eagle. The survivors went crazy or refused to talk about what had attacked them. Since the eagle was lost, the camp has been getting weaker."

"And the Fifth Cohort took the blame," Andy finished.

"We've been the outcasts of the legion since… well, since the Alaska disaster. Our reputation got better when Lena became praetor."

"Reyna's girlfriend?" Andy asked. "The one that disappeared?"

"How did you-"

"A guess."

"Yeah," Frank said. "She was a good leader. She practically grew up in the Fifth Cohort. She didn't care what people thought about us. She started to rebuild our reputation. Then she disappeared."

"Which put us back at square one," Hazel said bitterly. "Now you know what you've gotten yourself into."

"Joining the Fifth is better than being chased through the wilderness by monsters," Andy muttered. "When I woke up out there by myself... I was pretty scared. I don't like being alone. So now I've got you."

The genuine sentiment behind those words touched Hazel profoundly. She smiled and was about to say something nice in return when the moment was cut short by a horn that blew at the end of the hall.


	7. Unexpected Visitor

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part IV - _...glowing dim as an ember, things my heart used to know, things it yearns to remember..._

* * *

"Here we are!" Drew said cheerfully. "The Big House, camp headquarters."

It didn't look threatening, just a four-story manor painted baby blue with white trim. However, every molecule in Lena's body told her she was on enemy ground. "I'm not supposed to be here," she kept saying, sounding like a broken record.

Drew circled her arm through hers. "Oh, please. You're perfect here, sweetie. Believe me. You have flawless skin. And great teeth. Everything you need to be a successful half-blood." She gave Lena a bright smile.

Lena slipped her arm away as gently as she could. "Thank you. But I don't think my teeth will help me-"

"Have you met Queen Hera?" Drew interrupted. "You look a LOT like her! If it weren't completely impossible for her to have kids, I'd say she's definitely your mother." Lena wasn't sure how to answer, so she chose to stay quiet. Drew barely noticed. "...yes, really nice looks." She wasn't looking at Lena, though. She was staring at a spot right above her head. "You're going to be important at camp, so I figure your parent will claim you right away. By the way, is your dad or mom the god? Please say it's your mom. I would love if you were a daughter of Aphrodite."

"Why?"

"Because we'd be sisters, of course, silly. So who's your godly parent: mom or dad?"

As usual, Lena didn't have an answer. She heard footsteps on the front porch. No. Not footsteps; hooves.

"Chiron!" Drew called. "This is Lena. Wouldn't she a great daughter of Aphrodite?"

Lena backed up so fast she almost tripped. The centaur started to smile, invitingly, but then the color drained from his face. _"You..."_ The centaur's eyes flared like a cornered animal's. "You should be dead!" He quickly ordered Lena to come inside the house, like he wanted to hide her. He told Drew to go back to her cabin, which she didn't look happy about. Then he focused on the newcomer. "Gla... I mean, _Lena,_ " he said emphatically, "would you mind telling me... ah... where you're from?"

"I wish I knew." And Lena told him the whole story.

"I see," Chiron said when she was done. "And you must have questions for me."

"Only one," Lena admitted. "What did you mean when you said that I should be dead?"

"Forgive me. I shouldn't have said that." Chiron studied her with concern, as if he expected Lena to burst into flames. "But, dear girl, do you know what those marks on your arm mean? The color of your shirt? Do you remember anything?"

Lena looked at the tattoo on her forearm: SPQR, the eagle, twelve straight lines. "No," she said. "Nothing."

"Do you know where you are?" Chiron asked. "Do you understand what this place is?"

"This is a camp for demigods, children of the Olympian gods."

"So you already know the gods are real. You have already been claimed, haven't you?"

"Maybe," Lena answered. "I'm not really sure."

Chiron waited, and Lena realized what had just happened. The centaur had switched to another language and Lena had understood, automatically answering in the same tongue.

 _"Quis erat—"_ Lena faltered, then made a conscious effort to speak English. "What was that?"

"You know Latin," Chiron observed. "Most demigods recognize a few phrases, of course. It's in their blood, but not as much as Ancient Greek. None can speak Latin fluently without practice." Lena tried to wrap her mind around what that meant, but too many pieces were missing from her memory. "I've seen many heroes come and go. Occasionally, they have happy endings. Mostly, they don't. It breaks my heart, like losing a child each time one of my pupils dies. But you... you are not like any pupil I've ever taught. Your presence here could be a disaster."

"Thanks," Lena said. "You must be an inspiring teacher."

"I am sorry, my girl. But it's true. I had hoped that after Andy's success—"

"Andy Jackson, you mean. Anthony's girlfriend, the one who's missing."

Chiron nodded. "I hoped that after she succeeded in the Titan War and saved Mount Olympus, we might have some peace. I should have known better. The last chapter approaches, just as it did before. The worst is yet to come."

"Ohh-kay," Lena said. "Sounds fun, but can we go back to the part where I'm supposed to be dead? That's what I'm worried about."

"I'm afraid I can't explain. I swore on the River Styx and on all things sacred that I would never…" Chiron frowned. "But you're here, in violation of the same oath. That too, should not be possible. I don't understand. Who would've done such a thing? Who—" he stopped.

"Chiron?" Lena asked. "What's going—"

The old centaur had frozen. Lena jumped off the couch, but Chiron kept staring at the same spot, his mouth open mid-sentence. His eyes didn't blink. His chest didn't move.

"Lena," a voice said. A woman, dressed in black, appeared before her. Her face was hooded but her eyes glowed in the darkness.

"Who are you?" Lena demanded. "How did you—"

"Our time is limited, my child. My prison grows stronger by the hour. I've conjured my presence here and in other places, but I'm getting weaker. I've managed to bring you here, but now I have little time left, and even less power. This may be the last time I can speak to you."

"You're in prison?" Lena frowned. "Who are you?"

"You know me," she insisted. "I have known you since your birth. I've always taken care of you, Lena."

"I don't remember. I don't remember anything."

"No, you don't," she agreed. "That also was necessary. Long ago, your father gave me your life as a gift to placate my anger. He ordered you to be named after my favorite princess. In spite of that, your birth mother baptized you differently. Still, you belong to me. Always have."

"I don't belong to anyone."

"Now is the time to pay your debt," the woman insisted. "Find my prison. Free me, or their king will rise from the earth, and I will be destroyed. You will never retrieve your memory."

"Is that a threat? Wait... _You_ took my memories?"

"You have until sunset on the solstice, Lena. Only a few days. Do not fail me." The dark woman dissolved, time unfroze, and Chiron said, "...would dare to bring you here?"

"Probably the lady in the mist," Lena offered, telling Chiron about the unexpected visitor.

"Oh, dear," Chiron murmured. "That does explain a lot."

"Then why don't you explain a lot to me?" Lena said. "Please."

Before Chiron could say anything, footsteps reverberated on the porch outside. The front door blew open, and Anthony burst in carrying Piper in his arms. Another girl, a redhead, came behind him.

"What happened?" Lena rushed over. "What's wrong with her?"

"Hera's cabin," Anthony gasped. "Vision. Bad."

The redheaded girl looked up, and Lena saw that she'd been crying. "I think…" she gulped. "I think I may have killed her."

Anthony put Piper on the couch while the redheaded rushed down the hall to get a med kit. Piper was still breathing, but she wouldn't wake up. She seemed to be in some kind of coma.

"We've got to heal her," Lena said urgently. "There's a way, right?" Seeing her so pale, barely breathing, Lena felt a surge of protectiveness.

Chiron put his hand on her forehead and grimaced. "Her mind is in a fragile state. Tony, what happened?"

"I wish I knew," he said. "Piper went inside Hera's cabin. We talked, and then... Chiron, what happened back there... I've never seen anything like it. I've heard Rachel's prophecy voice. This was different. She sounded like an older woman. She grabbed Piper's shoulders and told her—"

"To free her from a prison?" Lena guessed.

Anthony stared at her. "How did you know that?"

Rachel ran in with a leather pouch she handed to Chiron. He trickled drops from a medicine vial into Piper's mouth while Lena explained what had happened when the room froze. When she was done, no one spoke, which made her more anxious.

"So does this happen often?" Lena asked. "Supernatural phone calls from convicts demanding you bust them out of jail?"

"She wasn't your godly parent?" Anthony asked.

"No, she said my dad had given her my life."

Anthony frowned. "I've never of heard anything like that before. You said the storm spirit on the skywalk claimed to be working for some mistress who was giving him orders, right? Could it be this woman you saw, messing with your mind?"

"I don't think so," Lena said. "If she were my enemy, why would she be asking for my help? She's imprisoned. She's worried about some enemy getting more powerful. Something about a king rising from the earth on the solstice—"

Anthony turned to Chiron. "Not Kronos. Please tell me it's not that."

The centaur looked miserable. He held Piper's wrist, checking her pulse. At last he said, "It is not Kronos. That threat is ended. But…"

"But what?"

Chiron closed the medicine bag. "Piper needs rest. We should discuss this later."

"Or now," Lena said. "Sir, you told me the greatest threat was coming. The last chapter. You can't possibly mean something worse than an army of Titans, right?"

"Oh," Rachel said in a small voice. "Oh, dear. The woman was Hera. Of course. Her cabin, her voice. She showed herself to Lena at the same moment."

"Hera?" Anthony snarled. "She took you over? She did this to Piper?"

"I think Rachel's right," Lena said. "The woman did seem like a goddess."

"So Hera is imprisoned?" Rachel asked. "Who could do that to the queen of the gods?"

Anthony crossed his arms. "Well, if you find that out, please inform me. I'd like to send them flowers."

"Tony," Chiron warned, "she is still one of the Olympians. In many ways, she is the glue that holds the gods' family together. If she truly has been imprisoned and is in danger of destruction, this could shake the foundations of the world. It could unravel the stability of Olympus, which is never great even in the best of times. And if Hera has asked Lena for help—"

"Fine," Anthony grumbled. "Well, we know Titans can capture a god, right? Atlas captured Artemis a few years ago. And in the old stories, the gods captured each other in traps all the time. But something worse than a Titan…?"

"Why would she use her energy to send me here?" Lena asked. "She wiped my memory, plopped me into the Wilderness School field trip, and sent you a dream vision to come pick me up. Why am I so important? Why not just send up an emergency flare to the other gods, let them know where she is so they bust her out?"

"The gods need heroes to do their will down here on earth," Rachel said. "Their fates are always intertwined with demigods."

"That's true," Anthony said, "but Lena's got a point. Why her? Why take her memory?"

"It must have something to do with Andy's disappearing," Rachel guessed.

Anthony fixed his eyes on Chiron. "Why are you so quiet, Chiron? What is it we're facing?"

The old centaur's face looked like it had aged ten years in a matter of minutes. "My son, in this, I cannot help you. I am so sorry."

Anthony blinked. "You've never… you've _never_ kept information from me. Even the last great prophecy—"

"I will be in my office." His voice was heavy. "I need some time to think before dinner. Tony, you should speak with Lena. Tell her about... about the Greek and Roman gods."

"But…"

The centaur turned his wheelchair and rolled off down the hallway. Anthony's eyes turned stormy. He muttered something in Greek, and Lena got the feeling it wasn't complimentary toward centaurs.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I think my being here... I don't know. I've messed things up coming to the camp, somehow. Chiron said he'd sworn an oath and couldn't talk about it."

"What oath?" Anthony demanded. "I've never seen him act this way." He shook his head. "If Chiron won't help, we'll need to figure things out ourselves. Which means… Cabin Fifteen. Rachel, you'll keep an eye on Piper?"

"Sure," Rachel promised. "Good luck, you two."

"Hold on," Lena said. "What's in Cabin Fifteen?"

Anthony stood. "Maybe a way to get your memory back."

* * *

Cabin Fifteen was not so dramatic. It looked like an old-fashioned prairie house with mud walls and a rush roof.

"You think this is my parent's cabin?" Lena asked.

"Gods, no," he said. "This is the cabin for Hypnos, the god of sleep."

"Then why—"

"You've forgotten everything," he said. "If there's any god who can help us figure out memory loss, it's Hypnos."

Inside, soft violin music played from somewhere. The cabin was so cozy and peaceful that Lena's eyelids started to feel heavy. A nap sounded like a great idea. She was exhausted. There were plenty of empty beds, all with feather pillows and fresh sheets and fluffy quilts and...

Anthony nudged her. "Snap out of it."

Lena blinked.

"Cabin Fifteen does that to everyone," Anthony warned. "If you ask me, this place is even more dangerous than the Ares cabin. At least with Ares, you can learn where the land mines are."

"Land mines?"

Anthony walked up to the nearest snoring kid and shook his shoulder. "Clovis! Wake up!" The kid didn't move. "Clovis!" Anthony shook harder, then finally knocked on his forehead about six times.

"Wh-wh-what?" Clovis complained, sitting up and squinting.

"We need your help."

"I was sleeping."

"You're _always_ sleeping."

"Good night." Before he could pass out, Anthony yanked his pillow off the bed. "That's not fair, man," Clovis complained meekly. "Give it back."

"First help," Anthony said. "Then sleep."

Clovis sighed. His breath smelled like warm milk. "Fine. What?"

Anthony explained about Lena's problem. Every once in a while he'd snap his fingers under Clovis's nose to keep him awake. Clovis must have been really excited, because when Anthony was done, he didn't pass out. He actually stood and stretched, then blinked at Lena. "So you don't remember anything, huh?"

"Just impressions," Lena said. "Feelings, like…"

"Yes?" Clovis said.

"Like I know I shouldn't be here. At this camp. I'm in danger."

"Hmm. Usually memories are lost for a good reason. They sink under the surface like dreams, and with a good sleep, I can bring them back. But this… The River Lethe dissolves your memories, wipes your mind clean permanently."

Anthony nodded. "Andy went there once. She told me it was powerful enough to wipe the mind of a Titan."

"But… that's not my problem?" Lena asked.

"No," Clovis agreed. "Your mind wasn't wiped, and your memories weren't buried. They've been stolen."

"How?"

"A god," Clovis said. "Only a god would have that kind of power."

"We know that," said Lena. "It was Juno. But how did she do it, and why?"

Clovis scratched his neck. "Juno?"

"She means Hera," Anthony said. "For some reason, Lena likes the Roman names."

"Greek and Roman. Could be important."

"But they're the same gods," Anthony said. "Just different names."

"Not exactly," Clovis said. "Some gods are only Roman. Like Janus, or Pompona. But even the major Greek gods... it's not just their names that changed when they moved to Rome. Their appearances changed. Their attributes changed. They even had slightly different personalities."

"But…" Anthony faltered. "Okay, so maybe people saw them differently through the centuries. That doesn't change who they are."

"Sure it does," Clovis said. "The gods change to reflect their host cultures. And the gods were Roman almost as long as they were Greek. It was a big empire, lasted for centuries. So of course their Roman aspects are still a big part of their character."

"Makes sense," Lena said.

"So we call the gods by their Greek names because that's their original form. But saying their Roman aspects are exactly the same... that's not true," continued Clovis. "In Rome, they became more warlike. They didn't mingle with mortals as much. They were harsher, more powerful... the gods of an empire. They stood for discipline, honor, strength—"

"All good things," Lena said. "I mean, discipline is important, right? That's what made Rome last so long."

Clovis gave her a curious look. "That's true. But the Roman gods weren't very friendly."

"What does that have to do with Lena?" Anthony asked.

"I haven't the slightest," Clovis muttered. "But if Hera took your memory, only she can give it back. And if I had to meet the queen of the gods, I'd hope she was more in a Hera mood than a Juno mood. Can I go back to sleep now?"


	8. Success or Death

Act II - **From The Sea We Rise**

Part IV - _If only they could see how special you can be, if they only knew the you that we know..._

* * *

"The games begin!" Reyna announced. The campers cheered and rushed to collect their equipment from the stacks along the walls.

"So let me guess," said Andy over the noise, "we always lose."

Frank slapped her on the shoulder as way of answer. Hazel and Nico went ahead of them. Andy hadn't look like anything special to Frank when he first saw her, but the way she had controlled the Little Tiber... That'd been amazing. It sort of gave him hope. Maybe he, too, who didn't look special at all, could do incredible things.

"What do you make of him?" Andy broke the silence, her eyes focused on Hazel's brother.

"He's okay," Frank said. "He's not like Hazel—"

"How do you mean?"

"Oh, um…" Frank coughed. "Nico is kind of mysterious. He makes everybody else nervous, being the son of Pluto, and all."

"But not you?"

Frank shrugged. "Pluto's cool. It's not his fault he runs the Underworld. He just got bad luck when the gods were dividing up the world, you know? Jupiter got the sky, Neptune got the sea, and Pluto got the shaft."

"So death doesn't scare you?"

Frank almost wanted to laugh. Not at all! Got a match?

Instead he said, "Back in the old times, like the Greek times, when Pluto was called Hades, he was more of a death god. When he became Roman, he got more… I don't know, respectable. He became the god of wealth, too. Everything under the earth belongs to him. So I don't think of him as being real scary."

"How does a god become Roman? If he's Greek, wouldn't he stay Greek?"

Frank walked a few steps, thinking about that. "The way Romans saw it, they adopted the Greek stuff and perfected it."

Andy made a sour face. "Perfected it? Like there was something wrong with it?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Rome was more successful than Greece. They made this huge empire. The gods became a bigger deal in Roman times, more powerful and widely known. That's why they're still around today. So many civilizations base themselves on Rome. The gods changed to Roman because that's where the center of power was. Jupiter was… well, more responsible as a Roman god than he had been when he was Zeus. Mars became a lot more important and disciplined."

"And Juno became a hippie bag lady," Andy noted. "So you're saying the old Greek gods, they just changed permanently to Roman? There's nothing left of the Greek?"

"Uh… That's a sensitive topic. Some people say Greek influence is still around, like it's still a part of the gods' personalities. I've heard stories of demigods occasionally leaving Camp Jupiter. They reject Roman training and try to follow the older Greek style, like being solo heroes instead of working as a team the way the legion does. And back in the ancient days, when Rome fell, the eastern half of the empire survived, the Greek half."

Andy stared at him. "I didn't know that."

"It was called Byzantium." Frank liked saying that word. It sounded cool. "The eastern empire lasted another thousand years, but it was always more Greek than Roman. That's why, whatever country we settle in, Camp Jupiter is always in the west, the Roman part of the territory. The east is considered bad luck."

"Huh." Andy frowned. "And... About those vials you found at the river. That was Gorgon's blood, wasn't it?" She changed the subject abruptly. "One vial heals. One is deadly poison."

Frank's eyes widened. "You know about that? Listen, I wasn't going to keep them. I just—"

"I know why you did it, Frank."

"You do?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "If I'd come into camp carrying a vial of poison, that would've looked bad. You were trying to protect me."

"Oh… right." Frank wiped the sweat off his palms. "But if we could figure out which vial was which, it might heal your memory."

Her smile faded. "Maybe… I guess. But you should hang on to those vials for now. There's a battle coming. We may need them to save lives."

Frank stared at her, a little bit in awe. Andy had a chance to get her memory back, and she was willing to wait in case someone else needed the vial more? "So you don't remember anything?" he asked. "Family, friends?"

"Only glimpses. Murky stuff. Someone I… I thought he'd be at camp." She looked at Frank carefully, as if making a decision. "Anthony. You don't know him, do you?"

Frank shook his head; the sudden despair in her eyes were making him uncomfortable. "I know everybody at camp, but no Anthony. What about your family? Your mom?"

"I can't remember her… Does your mom get to see you much?"

Frank stopped walking. "She died... in the war," he said. "Afghanistan. Canada had troops there. My mom was a captain. She was one of the first women to die in combat. She saved some soldiers who were pinned down by enemy fire. She… she didn't make it."

Andy nodded. She didn't ask for more details, which Frank appreciated. She didn't say she was sorry, or make any of the well-meaning comments. Frank thought of his grandmother, his mom, and his cursed childhood, thanks to Juno and her piece of firewood.

He almost wished he could forget his past, the way Andy had.

* * *

Gwen gave the orders. Everybody liked her because she took care of her people and tried to keep their spirits up. Everyone got very specific orders; everyone except: "Frank, Hazel, Andy…" Gwen frowned. "Well, just do whatever."

"Do whatever?" Andy repeated.

"Yeah," Hazel sighed. "Big vote of confidence."

They tried to keep out of everybody's way without helping or ruining things for the Fifth. But that's when Frank had the idea. He told the girls about the water cannons that draw water from the aqueduct. There was a pump system, and although he wasn't sure how it worked he knew they were under a lot of pressure. If Andy could control them...

"Frank!" Hazel beamed. "That's brilliant!"

Andy didn't look so sure. "I'm not sure I can control the cannons from this far away."

"We'll get you closer." Frank pointed to the eastern wall of the fort, where the Fifth Cohort wouldn't be attacking. "That's where the defense will be weakest. They'll never take three kids seriously. I think we can sneak up pretty close before they see us."

"Sneak up how?" Andy asked.

Frank turned to Hazel. "Can you do that thing again?"

She punched him in the chest. "You said you wouldn't tell anybody!" Immediately Frank felt terrible. Hazel muttered under her breath. "Never mind. It's fine. Andy, he's talking about the trenches. The Field of Mars is riddled with tunnels from over the years. Some are collapsed, or buried deep, but a lot of them are still passable. I'm pretty good at finding them and using them. I can even collapse them if I have to."

"Like you did with the gorgons," Andy said, "to slow them down."

Frank nodded approvingly. "I told you Pluto was cool. He's the god of everything under the earth. Hazel can find caves, tunnels, trapdoors-"

"And it was our secret," she grumbled.

Frank felt himself blushing. "Yeah, sorry. But if we can get close... and if Andy can knock out the water cannons… The rest will be up to me," he said. "Let's go."

Hazel found them a tunnel with no problem. They crept along by the light of Andy's glowing sword, Riptide. Frank stumbled over something and cursed. Andy brought her sword around for more light. The thing Frank had tripped on was gleaming silver. He crouched down.

"Don't touch it!" Hazel said.

Frank's hand stopped a few inches from the chunk of metal. "It's massive," he said. "Silver?"

"Platinum." Hazel sounded scared out of her wits. "It'll go away in a second. Please don't touch it. It's dangerous. I'll... I'll explain later," she promised.

They popped out of a hole just where Hazel had predicted. In front of them, the fort's east wall loomed. Frank reached in his quiver and pulled out an arrow heavier than the rest. "Now, Andy," he ordered.

She closed her eyes and raised her hand. The cannon exploded in a starburst of blue, green, and white. One after another, the water cannons on the battlements exploded. Defenders scattered in confusion or were tossed through the air. Mystified, they lowered their shields and stared at the chaos.

Frank shot his arrow. It streaked upward, carrying its glittering rope. When it reached the top, the metal point fractured into a dozen lines that lashed out and wrapped around anything they could find. From the main rope, handholds extended at two-foot intervals, making a ladder. "Go!" he said.

Andy grinned. "You first, Frank. This is your party."

Frank hesitated. Then he slung his bow on his back and began to climb. He was halfway up before the defenders recovered their senses enough to sound the alarm. Frank glanced back at Fifth Cohort's main group. They were staring up at him, dumbfounded.

"Well?" Frank screamed. "Attack!"

He launched himself at the defenders, and they toppled like pins. Frank got to his feet. He took command of the battlements, sweeping his pilum back and forth and knocking down defenders. Some shot arrows. Some tried to get under his guard with their swords, but Frank felt unstoppable. Then Hazel appeared next to him, swinging her big cavalry sword like she was born for battle.

Andy leaped onto the wall and raised Riptide. "What fun," she said.

Together they cleared the defenders off the walls. Below them the gates broke. They moved like a team, as if the three of them had been working together for years. They rushed down the interior steps and into the enemy base.

Finally, from the edge of the Field of Mars, a battle cry went up: the Third and Fourth Cohorts ran to join the fight. The First and Second Cohorts, pride of Camp Jupiter, a well-oiled, highly disciplined war machine, fell apart under the assault. Andy fought like a demon, whirling through the defenders' ranks in a completely unorthodox style, rolling under their feet, slashing with her sword and generally causing mass panic.

Octavian screamed in a shrill voice but Andy somersaulted over a line of shields and slammed the butt of her sword into Octavian's helmet. The centurion collapsed like a sock puppet. Frank shot arrows until his quiver was empty, then reluctantly drew his gladius. Hazel charged toward the center of the fort, grinning down at her friends. "Let's go, slowpokes!"

 _Gods of Olympus, she's beautiful,_ Frank thought.

They ran to the center of the base. By the time the rest of the cohort caught up with them, they had disarmed the enemies and grabbed the banners. They marched out of the keep triumphantly with the enemy colors.

Reyna circled low overhead on her pegasus. "The game is won!" She sounded as if she were trying not to laugh. "Assemble for honors!"

Slowly the campers regrouped on the Field of Mars. Frank wondered if he was dreaming. It was the best night of his life... until he saw Gwen. She lay on her side on a stretcher with a pilum sticking out of her armor.

Frank shook his head in disbelief. "No, no, no…" he muttered as he ran to her side.

The medics barked at everyone to stand back and give her air. The whole legion fell silent as the healers worked. Gwen didn't move. Her face was ashen gray. Finally one of the medics looked up at Reyna and shook his head.

Her expression was as hard and dark as iron. "There will be an investigation. Whoever did this, you cost the legion a good officer. Honorable death is one thing, but this..."

The marks engraved in the wooden shaft of the pilum said the weapon belonged to the First Cohort. Frank scanned the crowd for Octavian. The centurion was watching with more interest than concern, as if he were examining one of his stupid gutted teddy bears. He didn't have a pilum.

Blood roared in Frank's ears. He wanted to strangle Octavian with his bare hands, but at that moment, Gwen gasped. Everyone stepped back. Gwen opened her eyes and the color came back to her face.

"Wh-what is it?" she blinked. "What's everyone staring at?" She didn't seem to notice the seven-foot harpoon sticking out through her chest.

Behind Frank, a medic whispered, "There's no way. She was dead. She has to be dead."

Gwen tried to sit up, but couldn't. "There was a river, and a man asking… for a coin? I turned around and the exit door was open. So I just… I just left."

Everyone stared at her in horror. Nobody tried to help.

"Gwen." Frank knelt next to her. "Don't try to get up. Just close your eyes for a second, okay?"

"Why?"

"Just trust me." Gwen did what he asked. Frank grabbed the shaft of the pilum and pulled it out. Gwen didn't even wince. The blood stopped quickly.

Hazel bent down to examine the wound. "It's closing on its own," she said.

"I feel fine," Gwen protested.

With Frank and Andy's help, she got to her feet.

"Gwen," Hazel said gently, "there's no easy way to say this. You were dead. Somehow you came back."

"I… what?" She stumbled against Frank. "How...?"

"Good question." Reyna turned to Nico, who was watching grimly from the edge of the crowd. "Is this some power of Pluto?"

He shook his head. "Pluto never lets people return from the dead."

Then a thunderous voice rolled across the field: _Death loses its hold. This is only the beginning._

"I know that voice," Andy said.

In the midst of the legion, a column of fire blasted into the air and a huge soldier stepped out of the explosion. He radiated confidence and power. His face was angular and brutal, marked with old knife scars.

As everyone else stepped back, Frank stepped forward. He realized the soldier was silently willing him to approach. He took three more steps. Then he sank to one knee. The other campers followed his example and knelt. Even Reyna.

"That's good," the soldier said. "Kneeling is good. It's been a long time since I've visited Camp Jupiter."

Frank noticed that one person wasn't kneeling. Andy Jackson, her sword still in hand, was glaring at the giant soldier. "You're Ares," she said. "What do you want here?"

A collective gasp went up from two hundred campers. The god bared his brilliant white teeth. "You've got spunk, demigod," he said. "Ares is my Greek form. But to these followers, to the children of Rome, I am Mars, patron of the empire, divine father of Romulus and Remus."

"We've met," Andy said. "We… we fought…"

The god scratched his chin, as if trying to recall. "I fight a lot of people. But I assure you, you've never fought me as Mars. If you had, you'd be dead. Now, kneel, as befits a child of Rome, before you try my patience."

Andy stared.

"Andy," Frank called, "please."

She shook her head without ever taking her eyes off the god, who crossed his arms, waiting.

"Andy Jackson," Reyna said. "Now!"

Mars scanned the crowd. "Romans, lend me your ears! I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter doesn't like us communicating directly with mortals, especially nowadays, but he has allowed this exception, as you Romans have always been my special people." He pointed at Gwen. "This one should be dead, yet she's not. The monsters you fight no longer return to Tartarus when they are slain. Some mortals who died long ago are now walking the earth again."

He glared at Nico.

"Thanatos has been chained. The Doors of Death have been forced open, and no one is policing them, at least, not impartially. Gaea allows our enemies to pour forth into the world of mortals. Her sons the giants are mustering armies against you; armies that you will not be able to kill. Unless Death is unleashed to return to his duties, you will be overrun. You must find Thanatos and free him from the giants. Only he can reverse the tide." Mars looked around, and noticed that everyone was still silently kneeling. "Oh, you can get up now. Any questions?"

Reyna rose uneasily. "Lord Mars, we are honored." Mars waited. "Thanatos is the god of death, the lieutenant of Pluto?"

"Right," the god said.

"And you're saying that he's been captured by giants."

"What don't you get?"

"And therefore people will stop dying?"

"Not all at once. But the barriers between life and death will continue to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Monsters are already harder to dispatch. Soon they will be completely impossible to kill. Some demigods will also be able to find their way back from the Underworld, like your friend. If left unchecked, even mortals will eventually find it impossible to die."

Octavian raised his hand. "But, ah, mighty all-powerful Lord Mars, if we can't die, isn't that a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely-"

"Don't be foolish, boy!" Mars bellowed. "Endless slaughter with no conclusion? Carnage without any point? Enemies that rise again and again and can never be killed? Is that what you want?"

"I thought you liked endless carnage," Andy spoke up.

"Insolent, aren't you? I see now. I must have wished to kill you. I'm the god of Rome, child of land and sea. I am the god of military might used for a righteous cause. I protect the legions. I am happy to crush my enemies underfoot, but I don't fight without reason. I don't want war without end. You will discover this when you serve me."

"That's unlikely," she said.

Again, Frank waited for the god to strike her down, but Mars just grinned like they were two old buddies talking trash. "I order a quest!" the god announced. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the gods. You will free him and thwart the plans of the giants. Beware Gaea! Beware her son, the eldest giant!"

Next to Frank, Hazel made a squeaking sound. "The land beyond the gods?"

Mars stared down at her. "That's right, Hazel Levesque. You know what I mean. Everyone here remembers the land where the legion lost its honor! Perhaps if the quest succeeds, and you return by the Feast of Fortuna…perhaps then your honor will be restored. If you don't succeed, there won't be any camp left to return to. Rome will be overrun, its legacy lost forever. So my advice is: don't fail."

Octavian somehow managed to bow even lower. "Um, Lord Mars, just one tiny thing. A quest requires a prophecy, a mystical poem to guide us! If I could just run and get about seventy stuffed animals and possibly a knife..."

"You're the augur?" the god interrupted.

"Y-yes, my lord."

Mars pulled a scroll from his utility belt. "Anyone got a pen?" The legionnaires stared at him. Mars sighed. "Two hundred Romans, and no one's got a pen? Never mind!" He made a pen and a scroll appear in his hands and started writing. Then he threw it at Octavian. "There. A prophecy. You can engrave it on your floor, whatever."

"This says," Octavian read, " _Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by sundown on the twenty-fourth or die.'_ "

"Yes," Mars said. "Is that not clear?"

"The prophecy is clear!" Octavian announced.

"Good answer." Mars said. "Now, what else? There was something else... Oh, yes." He turned to Frank. "You. Good job, kid. You see that play, ref?" Mars looked at Reyna. "That was my kid. First over the wall, won the game for his team. Unless you're blind, that was an MVP play. You're not blind, are you?"

Reyna made a face. "No, Lord Mars."

"Then make sure he gets the Mural Crown," Mars demanded. Frank wanted to melt into the dirt. "Emily Zhang's son. She was a good soldier. Good woman. This kid proved his stuff tonight and shall be rewarded." Mars made a spear appear in Frank's hand. It had a shaft of Imperial gold and a strange point like a white bone. "The tip is a dragon's tooth. You haven't learned to use your mom's talents and that spear will give you some breathing room until you do. You get three charges out of it, so use it wisely."

Frank didn't understand any of that.

"Now, Frank Zhang is gonna lead the quest to free Thanatos, unless there are any objections?" Mars said. Many of the campers glared at Frank with envy, jealousy, anger, bitterness. "You can take two companions. Those are the rules. Unfortunately for you, you're gonna have to take the fishy one." He pointed at Andy. "She's gonna learn some respect for Mars on this trip, or die trying. As for the second, I don't care." The god's image flickered. "That's my cue. Until next time, Romans. Do not disappoint me!"

The god erupted in flames, and then he was gone.

Reyna turned toward Frank. Her expression was part amazement, part nausea. She raised her arm in a Roman salute. "Ave, Frank Zhang, son of Mars."

The whole legion followed her lead, but Frank didn't want their attention anymore. His perfect night had been ruined. He'd been handed a death sentence.


	9. Beauty & Love

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part V - _Now, it's no wonder that her name means beauty; her looks have got no parallel. But behind that fair facade, I'm afraid she's rather odd, very different from the rest of us._

* * *

Piper woke feeling like she'd been trampled by an Irish step-dancing troupe. Her chest hurt, and she could barely breathe. She reached down and closed her hand around the hilt of the dagger Anthony had given her: Katoptris, Helen of Troy's weapon.

"How are you feeling?" someone asked.

Piper tried to focus. Rachel Dare, sat next to her. "Where—" Piper tried to say, but she felt like she was talking through a mouthful of cotton.

"You're in the Big House," Rachel said. "Camp offices. We brought you here when you collapsed."

"You grabbed me," Piper remembered. "Hera's voice—"

"I'm so sorry about that," Rachel said. "Believe me, it was not my idea to get possessed. Chiron healed you with some nectar... Do you remember your vision?"

"Something's wrong with the goddess," Piper said. "She told me to free her, like she's trapped. She mentioned the earth swallowing us, and a fiery one, and something about the solstice. What's happened to Hera?"

"We're not sure," Rachel said. "Anthony and Lena were here for you, by the way. Lena didn't want to leave you, but Anthony had an idea... something that might restore her memories."

"That's… that's great," Piper murmured. Her thoughts were spinning. Lena had been here for her? And if she got her memories back, would that be a good thing? Piper was still holding out hope that they really did know each other. She didn't want to have imagined her feelings for the other girl.

"Don't worry." Rachel squeezed her arm. "Lena seems nice. She had a vision too, a lot like yours. Whatever's happening with Hera... I think you two are meant to work together. You'll figure it out."

"How can you know?"

Rachel shrugged. "I know you'll face a hard choice, and your options aren't great. I get hunches sometimes. But you're going to be claimed at the campfire. I'm almost sure. When you know who your godly parent is, things might be clearer."

"I hope it's Athena." She looked up, afraid Rachel might make fun of her, but the oracle just smiled.

"I think Anthony would like that. You guys are a lot alike."

"Another hunch? You don't know anything about me."

"You'd be surprised."

"You're just saying that because you're an oracle and you're supposed to sound all mysterious."

Rachel laughed. "Don't be giving away my secrets, Piper. And don't worry. Things will work out... just maybe not the way you plan."

"That's not making me feel better."

Somewhere in the distance, a conch horn blew.

"Dinner?" Piper guessed.

"You slept through it," Rachel said. "Time for the campfire. Let's go find out who you are."

* * *

Piper spotted Lena in the front next to Anthony. Leo was nearby, sitting with a bunch of burly-looking campers under a steel gray banner emblazoned with a hammer. A centaur trotted up. 'A special welcome to our new arrivals. I am Chiron, camp activities director, and I'm happy you have all arrived here alive and with most of your limbs attached. In a moment, I promise we'll get to the s'mores, but first—"

"What about capture the flag?" somebody yelled. Grumbling broke out among some kids in armor.

"Yes," the centaur said. "I know the Ares cabin is anxious to return to the woods for our regular games-"

"And kill people!" one of them shouted.

"However," Chiron said, "until the dragon is brought under control, that won't be possible. Cabin Nine, anything to report on that?"

He turned to Leo's group. The girl next to him stood uncomfortably. "We're working on it."

More grumbling.

"How, Nyssa?" an Ares kid demanded.

"Really hard," she answered. Nyssa sat down to a lot of yelling and complaining, which caused the fire to sputter chaotically. Chiron stamped his hoof against the fire pit stones _\- bang, bang, bang -_ and the campers fell silent.

"We will have to be patient," Chiron said. "In the meantime, we have more pressing matters to discuss."

"Jackson?" someone asked. The fire dimmed even further, but Piper didn't need the mood flames to sense the crowd's anxiety.

Chiron gestured to Anthony who took a deep breath and stood. "I didn't find Andy," he announced. His voice caught a little when he said her name. "She wasn't at the Grand Canyon like I thought. But we're not giving up. We've got teams everywhere. Grover, Tyson, the Hunters of Artemis; everyone's out looking. We will find her. Chiron's talking about something different. A new quest."

"It's the Great Prophecy, isn't it?" Drew asked.

"What do you mean?" said Anthony.

"Well, come on." Drew spread her hands like the truth was obvious. "Olympus is closed. Your midget girlfriend disappeared. Hera sent you a vision and you came back with three new demigods in one day. I mean, something weird is going on. The Great Prophecy has started, right?"

Everyone looked at Rachel. Her eyes looked scary in the firelight. "Yes," she said. "The Great Prophecy has begun."

Pandemonium broke out.

Rachel took another step toward the audience, and fifty-plus demigods leaned away from her, as if one skinny redheaded mortal was more intimidating than all of them put together. "For those of you who have not heard it," Rachel said, "the Great Prophecy was my first prediction. It arrived in August. It goes like this: _Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire the world must fall_ —"

Lena shot to her feet. Her blue eyes looked wild, like she'd just been tasered. Even Rachel seemed caught off guard. " _Ut cum spiritu postrema sacramentum dejuremus_ ," she chanted. " _Et hostes ornamenta addent ad ianuam necem."_

An uneasy silence settled on the group.

"You just… finished the prophecy," Rachel stammered. "How did you—"

"I know those lines." Lena winced and put her hands to her temples. "I don't know how, but I know that prophecy."

"In Latin, no less," Drew called out.

Lena sat down, looking embarrassed. Rachel Dare still looked a little shaken. She glanced back at Chiron for guidance, but the centaur stood grim and silent.

"Well," Rachel said, trying to regain her composure. "So, yeah, that's the Great Prophecy. We hoped it might not happen for years, but I fear it's starting now. I can't give you proof. It's just a feeling. And like Drew said, some weird stuff is happening. The seven demigods, whoever they are, have not been gathered yet. I get the feeling some are here tonight. Some are not here. We don't know what the Great Prophecy means. We don't know what challenge the demigods will face, but since the first Great Prophecy predicted the Titan War, we can guess the second Great Prophecy will predict something at least that bad."

"Or worse," Chiron murmured.

"What we do know," Rachel said, "is that the first phase has begun. A major problem has arisen, and we need a quest to solve it. Hera, the queen of the gods, has been taken."

Shocked silence. Then fifty demigods started talking at once. Chiron pounded his hoof again, but Rachel still had to wait before she could get back their attention. She told them everything that had happened.

"Lena," she called at last. "Um… do you remember your last name?"

Lena looked self-conscious, but shook her head.

"We'll just call you Lena, then," Rachel said. "It's clear Hera herself has issued you a quest."

Rachel paused, as if giving Lena a chance to protest her destiny. Everyone's eyes were on her. Lena set her jaw and nodded. "I agree."

"You must save Hera to prevent a great evil," Rachel continued. "Some sort of king from rising. For reasons we don't yet understand, it must happen by the winter solstice, only a few days from now."

"That's the council day of the gods," Anthony said. "If the gods don't already know Hera's gone, they will definitely notice her absence by then. They'll probably break out fighting, accusing each other of taking her. That's what they usually do."

"The winter solstice," Chiron spoke up, "is also the time of greatest darkness. The gods gather that day, as mortals always have, because there is strength in numbers. The solstice is a day when evil magic is strong. Ancient magic, older than the gods. It is a day when things… stir."

"Okay," Anthony said, glaring at the centaur. "Thank you, Captain Sunshine. Whatever's going on, I agree with Rachel. Lena has been chosen to lead this quest, so—"

"Why hasn't she been claimed?" somebody yelled from the Ares cabin. "If she's so damn important—"

"She has been claimed," Chiron announced. "Long ago. Lena, give them a demonstration."

Lena stepped forward nervously. She reached into her pocket. Her coin flashed in the air, and when she caught it in her hand, she was holding a lance: a rod of gold about seven feet long, with a spear tip at one end. The other demigods gasped. Rachel and Anthony stepped back to avoid the point, which looked sharp as an ice pick.

"Wasn't that…" Anthony hesitated. "I thought you had a sword."

"Um, it came up tails," Lena said. "Same coin, long-range weapon form."

"Dude, I want one!" yelled somebody from Ares cabin.

"Better than Clarisse's electric spear, Lamer!" one of his brothers agreed.

"Shut your mouth!" Clarisse said.

Lena smiled like she'd had a great idea. She raised her javelin, and thunder broke open the sky. Lightning arced down through the golden spear point and hit the campfire with the force of an artillery shell. The entire camp sat frozen in shock, half blind, covered in ashes, staring at the place where the fire had been. Lena lowered her lance. "Um… sorry."

"A little overkill, perhaps," Chiron said, "but you've made your point. And I believe we know who your father is."

"Jupiter," Lena said. "I mean Zeus. Lord of the Sky."

Everything broke into chaos, with dozens of people asking questions until Anthony raised his arms. "Hold it!" he said. "How can she be a daughter of Zeus? The Big Three… their pact not to have mortal kids… how could we not have known about her sooner?"

Chiron didn't answer, but Piper got the feeling he knew. And the truth was not good.

"The important thing," Rachel said, "is that Lena's here now. She has a quest to fulfill, which means she will need her own prophecy." She closed her eyes and swooned. Two campers rushed forward and caught her. When she opened her eyes, they were glowing. Emerald smoke issued from her mouth. The voice that came out was raspy and ancient: " _Child of sky and storm, beware the earth. The giants' revenge the seven shall birth. The forge and dove shall break the cage, and death unleash through Hera's rage._ " On the last word, Rachel collapsed, but her helpers were waiting to catch her.

"Is that normal?" Piper asked. Then she realized she'd spoken into the silence, and everyone was looking at her. "I mean… does she spew green smoke a lot?"

"Gods, you're dense!" Drew sneered. "She just issued a prophecy... Lena's prophecy to save Hera! Why don't you just—"

"Drew," Anthony snapped. "If breaking Hera's cage unleashes her rage and causes a bunch of death… why would we free her? It might be a trap, or... or maybe Hera will turn on her rescuers. She's never been kind to heroes."

Lena rose again. "I don't have much choice. Hera took my memory. I need it back. Besides, we can't just not help the queen of the heavens if she's in trouble."

Nyssa also stood up. "Maybe. But you should listen to Anthony. Hera can be vengeful. She threw her own son, our dad, down a mountain just because he was ugly."

"Real ugly," snickered someone from Aphrodite.

"Shut up!" Nyssa growled. "Anyway, we've also got to think: why beware the earth? And what's the giants' revenge? What are we dealing with here that's powerful enough to kidnap the queen of the heavens?"

No one answered, but Piper noticed Anthony and Chiron having a silent exchange.

Anthony took a deep breath. "It's Lena quest," he announced, "so it's Lena's choice. Obviously, she's the child of sky and storm. According to tradition, she may choose any two companions."

Someone from the Hermes cabin yelled, "Well, you, obviously, Tony. You've got the most experience."

"No, Travis," Anthony said. "I'm not helping Hera. Every time I've tried, she's deceived me, or it's come back to bite me later. Forget it. No way. And besides, I'm leaving first thing in the morning to find Andy."

"It's connected," Piper blurted out, not sure how she got the courage. "You know that's true, don't you? This whole business, your girlfriend's disappearance... it's all connected."

"How?" demanded Drew. "If you're so smart, how?"

"You may be right, Piper," he said. "If this is connected, I'll find out from the other end, by searching for Andy. As I said, I'm not about to rush off to rescue Hera, even if her disappearance sets the rest of the Olympians fighting again. But there's another reason I can't go. The prophecy says otherwise."

"It says who I pick," Lena agreed. "The forge and dove shall break the cage. The forge is the symbol of Vul... Hephaestus."

Under the Cabin Nine banner, Nyssa's shoulders slumped, like she'd just been given a heavy anvil to carry. "If you have to beware the earth," she said, "you should avoid traveling overland. You'll need air transport. The flying chariot's broken and the pegasi, we're using them to search for Andy. But maybe Hephaestus cabin can help figure out something else to help. With Jake incapacitated, I'm senior camper. I can volunteer for the quest." She didn't sound enthusiastic.

Then Leo stood up. He'd been so quiet, Piper had almost forgotten he was there, which was totally not like Leo. "It's me," he said. His cabinmates stirred. Several tried to pull him back to his seat, but Leo resisted. "No, it's me. I know it is. I've got an idea for the transportation problem. Let me try. I can fix this!"

Lena studied him for a moment. Piper was sure she was going to tell Leo no. Then she smiled. "We started this together, Leo. Seems only right you come along. You find us a ride, you're in."

"Yes!" Leo pumped his fist.

"It'll be dangerous," Nyssa warned him. "Hardship, monsters, terrible suffering. Possibly none of you will come back alive."

"Oh, cool! Suffering?" Leo smiled. "I love suffering! Let's do this."

Anthony nodded. "Then, Lena, you only need to choose the third quest member. The dove—"

"Oh, absolutely!" Drew was on her feet. "The dove is Aphrodite. Everybody knows that. I want to go. Fighting is all fine, I suppose. And people who build things…" She looked at Leo in disdain. "Well, I suppose someone has to get their hands dirty. But you need charm on your side. I can be very persuasive. I could help a lot."

"Well…" Anthony said. "Given the wording of the prophecy—"

"No!" Piper's own voice sounded strange in her ears, more insistent, richer in tone. "I'm supposed to go." Then the weirdest thing happened. Everyone started nodding, muttering that hmm, Piper's point of view made sense too. Drew looked around, incredulous. Even some of her own campers were nodding.

"Get over it!" Drew snapped at the crowd. "What can Piper do?"

Suddenly there was collective gasp. Everyone stared at Piper like she'd just exploded. She wondered what she'd done wrong. Then she realized there was a reddish glow around her.

"What the hell...?" she demanded. She looked above her, but there was no burning symbol like the one that appeared over Leo. Then she looked down and yelped.

She was adorned in a beautiful white sleeveless gown that went down to her ankles, with a V-neck so low it was totally embarrassing. Delicate gold armbands circled her biceps. And her hair…

"Oh, god," she said. "What's happened?"

Anthony seemed surprised, but Lena smiled. "Wow," she said softly.

"No, no, no!" Piper protested. "Not possible! This isn't me. I... I don't understand."

Chiron the centaur folded his front legs and bowed to her, and all the campers followed his example. "Hail, Piper McLean," he announced gravely, as if he were speaking at her funeral. "Daughter of Aphrodite, lady of the doves, goddess of love."


	10. Seafaring

Act II - **From The Sea We Rise**

Part V - _Great globs of gore, we'll storm the shore and seek the unknown… then can we go home?_

* * *

Andy had confusing dreams. She saw a curly-haired faun in ragged clothes running after her and quickly told him: "I don't have any spare change."

"What?" the faun said. "No, Andy. It's me, Grover! Stay put! We need your exact location. I think Tyson is close..."

"Who?"

The scene shifted suddenly. Andy stood on the Field of Mars. A face appeared in the landscape: a sleeping woman, her features formed from shadows and folds in the terrain. With eyes still closed, she spoke: "This is the demigod who destroyed my son Kronos. You don't look like much, Andy Jackson, but you're valuable to me. Come north. Juno can play her little games with Greeks and Romans, but in the end, you will be _my_ pawn. You will be the key to the gods' defeat."

Andy's vision turned dark. She woke, shivering. For a moment she forgot where she was. She lay in her bunk, staring at the ceiling and trying to control her racing heartbeat. She sat up. Her roommates were rushing around, getting dressed and brushing their teeth. Dakota was wrapping himself in a long piece of red-speckled cloth; a toga.

Frank's head popped up from the bunk below. He had bags under his eyes like he hadn't slept well. "Hey. We've got a senate meeting."

Dakota staggered around with his head stuck in his toga. "Um," Andy said, "should I wear my bed sheets?"

Frank snorted. "That's just for the senators. There're ten of them, elected yearly. You've got to be at camp five years to qualify."

"So how come we're invited?"

"Because… you know, the quest." Frank sounded worried, like he was afraid Andy would back out. "We have to be in on the discussion. You, me, Hazel. I mean, if you're willing…" Frank probably didn't mean to guilt her, but how could she say no to that big pouty baby face? The faun had told her to stay put, but Andy felt like she had no choice.

"I, um… I'd better get ready..." She climbed out of bed and got dressed. The whole time, she thought about Anthony. If she went on this quest, would he ever find her?

Reyna and Octavian led the procession of senators out of camp. Hazel, Frank, and Andy trailed behind. Andy noticed Nico di Angelo in the group, wearing a black toga and talking with Gwen. He caught her staring and choked on his own words. Andy would've found that funny if she wasn't so sure he was trying to avoid her.

Dakota stumbled along in his red-speckled robe. A lot of other senators seemed to be having trouble with their togas, too. Andy was glad to be wearing a regular purple T-shirt and jeans.

"You didn't bring any weapons, did you?" Hazel asked suddenly.

Andy's hand went to her pocket. "Why?"

"No weapons allowed inside the Pomerian Line," she said. "The city limits. Inside is a sacred 'safe zone.' Legions can't march through. No weapons allowed. That's so senate meetings don't get bloody."

"Huh. Julius Caesar would've appreciated that rule," Andy said.

Frank laughed. "Don't worry. Nothing like that has happened in months."

On the side of the road stood a white marble statue of a life-size muscular man with curly hair, no arms, and an irritated expression. "Single file, please!" the statue said. "Have your IDs ready." The senators passed through easily. The statue checked the tattoos on their forearms and called each senator by name. "Gwendolyn, senator, Fifth Cohort, yes. Nico di Angelo, ambassador of Pluto, very well. Reyna, praetor, of course. Hank, senator, Third Cohort; oh, nice shoes, Hank! Ah, who have we here?"

Hazel, Frank, and Andy were the last ones. "Terminus," Hazel said, "this is Andy Jackson. Andy, this is Terminus, the god of boundaries."

"New, eh?" said the god. "Yes, _probatio_ tablet. Fine. Ah, weapon in your pocket? Take it out! Take it out!" Andy didn't know how Terminus could tell, but she took out her pen. "Quite dangerous," Terminus said. "Leave it in the tray. You can pick up your weapon on the way out."

Reluctantly, Andy put her pen on the tray. As they approached the forum, she was struck by the sheer number of people. "I still can't believe all these people are demigods."

"It's a good place to go to college or raise a family without worrying about monster attacks every day," said Hazel.

Andy imagined what that would be like: getting an apartment in this tiny replica of Rome. She imagined holding hands with Anthony not having to worry about monsters or certain death. Her eyes started sting and she shook the idea out of her head.

She followed Hazel and Frank inside. They sat on the left side of a semicircle. The ten senators and Nico di Angelo occupied the front row. Octavian stood in front with a knife and a Beanie Baby-lion. Reyna walked to the podium and raised her hand for attention.

"Right, this is an emergency meeting," she said. "We won't stand on formalities. First of all, we're not here to vote on the quest itself. The quest has been issued by Mars Ultor, patron of Rome. We will obey his wishes. Nor are we here to debate the choice of Frank Zhang's companions."

"All three from the Fifth Cohort?" called out Hank from the Third. "That's not fair."

"And not smart," said the boy next to him. "We know the Fifth will mess up. They should take somebody good."

"As quest leader," Reyna said, "Frank has the right to choose his companions. He has chosen Andy Jackson and Hazel Levesque."

A ghost from the second row yelled, " _Absurdus!_ Frank Zhang isn't even a full member of the legion! He's on _probatio_. A quest must be led by someone of centurion rank or higher. This is completely—"

"Cato," Reyna snapped. "We must obey the wishes of Mars Ultor. That means certain... adjustments." She clapped her hands, and Octavian came forward. He set down his knife and Beanie Baby and took the velvet package from the chair.

"Frank Zhang," he said, "come forward." Frank glanced nervously at Andy. Then he got to his feet and approached the augur. "It is my… pleasure... to bestow upon you the Mural Crown for being first over the walls in siege warfare." Octavian handed him a bronze badge shaped like a laurel wreath. "Also, by order of Praetor Reyna, to promote you to the rank of centurion." He handed Frank another badge, a bronze crescent, and the senate exploded in protest.

"Silence!" Octavian said with authority. "Our praetor recognizes that no one below the rank of centurion may lead a quest. For good or ill, Frank must lead this quest, so our praetor has decreed that Frank Zhang must be made centurion."

Andy saw what an effective speaker Octavian was. He sounded reasonable and supportive, but his expression was pained. He carefully crafted his words to put all the responsibility on Reyna. _This was her idea_ , he seemed to say. If it went wrong, Reyna was to blame. _He had had no choice but to support Reyna, because Octavian was a loyal Roman soldier.  
_  
Reyna must have recognized this too. A look of irritation flashed across her face. "There is an opening for centurion," she said. "One of our officers, also a senator, has decided to step down. After ten years in the legion, she will retire to the city and attend college. Gwen of the Fifth Cohort, we thank you for your service." Everyone turned to Gwen, who managed a brave smile. "As praetor," Reyna continued, "I have the right to replace officers. I admit it's unusual for a camper on _probatio_ to rise directly to the rank of centurion, but I think we can agree… last night was unusual. Frank Zhang, your ID, please."

Frank removed the lead tablet from around his neck and handed it to Octavian.

"Your arm," Octavian said. Frank held up his forearm. Octavian raised his hands to the heavens. "We accept Frank Zhang, Son of Mars, to the Twelfth Legion Fulminata for his first year of service. Do you pledge your life to the senate and people of Rome?"

Frank muttered something no one understood. Then he cleared his throat and managed: "I do."

The senators shouted, _"Senatus Populusque Romanus!"_

Fire blazed on Frank's arm. For a moment his eyes filled with terror. Then the smoke and flame died, and new marks were seared onto Frank's skin: SPQR, an image of crossed spears, and a single stripe, representing the first year of service.

"Now," Reyna said, "we must discuss the quest."

"Do you have a plan for the quest?" Octavian asked Frank. "Do you even know where you are going?"

"Um..."

Hazel put her hand on Frank's shoulder and stood. "Weren't you listening last night, Octavian? Mars was pretty clear. We're going to the land beyond the gods: Alaska."

The senators squirmed in their togas. Senator Larry stood. "I know what Mars said, but that's crazy. Alaska is cursed! They call it the land beyond the gods for a reason. It's so far north, the Roman gods have no power there. The place is swarming with monsters. No demigod has come back from there alive since—"

"Since you lost your eagle," Andy finished for him. Larry was so startled, he fell back on his podex. "Look," she said, "I know I'm new here. I know you guys don't like to mention that massacre in the nineteen-eighties—"

"She mentioned it!" one of the ghosts whimpered.

"—but don't you get it?" Andy continued. "The Fifth Cohort led that expedition. We failed, and we have to be responsible for making things right. That's why Mars is sending us. This giant, the son of Gaea, he's the one who defeated your forces thirty years ago. I'm sure of it. Now he's sitting up there in Alaska with a chained death god, and all your old equipment. He's mustering his armies and sending them south to attack this camp."

"Really?" Octavian said. "You seem to know a lot about our enemy's plans, Andy Jackson."

"What did you say to me?" Andy glanced at him menacingly. Octavian tensed. Andy considered smacking him on the ear, but decided to take a deep breath. "I'm adding two and two, pal. More than you're doing, that's for sure. We're going to confront this son of Gaea and we'll get back your eagle and unchain this god whatever his face."

Octavian sighed in exasperation. "You don't even know the name... how do you expect to do all this and get back by the Feast of Fortuna? Do you even know where to look? Do you even know who this son of Gaea is?"

"Yes." Hazel spoke with such certainty that even Andy was surprised. "I don't know exactly where to look, but I have a pretty good idea. The giant's name is Alcyoneus."

Reyna gripped her podium. "How do you know this, Hazel? Because you're a child of Pluto?"

Nico di Angelo had been so quiet, Andy had almost forgotten he was there. Now he stood in his black toga. "Praetor, if I may," he said. "Hazel and I… we learned a little about the giants from our father. Each giant was bred specifically to oppose one of the twelve Olympian gods, to usurp that god's domain. The king of giants was Porphyrion, the anti-Jupiter. But the eldest giant was Alcyoneus. He was born to oppose Pluto. That's why we know of him in particular."

Reyna frowned. "Indeed? You sound quite familiar with him."

Nico picked at the edge of his toga. "Anyway, the giants were hard to kill. According to prophecy, they could only be defeated by gods and demigods working together."

Dakota belched. "Sorry, did you say gods and demigods… like fighting side by side? That could never happen!"

"It _has_ happened," Nico said. "In the first giant war, the gods called on heroes to join them, and they were victorious. But with Alcyoneus... he was different. He was completely immortal, impossible to kill by god or demigod, as long as he remained in his home territory." Nico paused to let that sink in. "And if Alcyoneus has been reborn in Alaska..."

"Then he can't be defeated there," Hazel finished. "Ever. By any means. Which is why our nineteen-eighties expedition was doomed to fail." Another round of arguing and shouting broke out.

"Silence!" Reyna called. "Senators, we must act like Romans. Mars has given us this quest, and we have to believe it is possible. These three demigods must travel to Alaska. They must free Thanatos and return before the Feast of Fortuna. If they can retrieve the lost eagle in the process, so much the better. All we can do is advise them and make sure they have a plan." She looked at Andy without much hope. "You do have a plan?"

"Uh, hold that thought." Andy turned to Nico. "I thought Pluto was the god of the dead. Now I hear about this other guy, Thanatos, and the Doors of Death from that prophecy... What does all that mean?"

Nico took a deep breath. "Okay. Pluto is the god of the Underworld, but the actual god of death, the one who's responsible for making sure souls go to the afterlife and stay there,that's Pluto's lieutenant, Thanatos. He's like… well, imagine Life and Death are two different countries. Everybody would like to be in Life, right? So there's a guarded border to keep people from crossing back over without permission. But it's a big border, with lots of holes in the fence. Pluto tries to seal up the breaches, but new ones keep popping up all the time. That's why he depends on Thanatos, who's like the border patrol, the police."

"Thanatos catches souls," Andy said, "and deports them back to the Underworld."

"Exactly," Nico said. "But now Thanatos has been captured, chained up."

Frank raised his hand. "Uh… how do you chain Death?"

"It's been done before," Nico said. "In the old days, a guy named Sisyphus tricked Death and tied him up. Another time, Hercules wrestled him to the ground."

"And now a giant has captured him," Andy said. "So if we could free Thanatos, then the dead would stay dead?" She glanced at Gwen. "Um… no offense."

"It's more complicated than that," Nico said.

Octavian rolled his eyes. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"You mean the Doors of Death," Reyna said, ignoring Octavian. "They are mentioned in the Prophecy of Seven, which sent the first expedition to Alaska..."

The ghosts snorted and protested. Nico put his finger to his lips. Suddenly all the Lares went silent. Some looked alarmed, like their mouths had been glued together. "Thanatos is only part of the solution," Nico explained. "The Doors of Death… well, that's a concept even I don't completely understand. There are many ways into the Underworld. With Thanatos imprisoned, all those exits will be easier to use. Now, the Doors of Death, those are the personal doors of Thanatos, his fast lane between Life and Death. Only Thanatos is supposed to know where they are, and the location shifts over the ages. If I understand correctly, the Doors of Death have been forced open. Gaea's minions have seized control of them—"

"Which means Gaea controls who can come back from the dead," Andy guessed.

Nico nodded. "She can pick and choose who to let out. If we rescue Thanatos, that means at least he can catch souls again and send them below. Monsters will die when we kill them, like they used to, and we'll get a little breathing room. But unless we're able to retake the Doors of Death, our enemies won't stay down for long. They'll have an easy way back to the world of the living."

 _"Foes bear arms to the Doors of Death,"_ Reyna said. "That's the Prophecy of Seven…" She looked at Andy. "If this begins the ancient prophecy, we don't have resources to send an army to these Doors of Death and protect the camp. I can't imagine even sparing seven demigods..."

"First things first." Andy stopped her. "I don't know who the seven are, or what that old prophecy means, exactly. But first we have to free Thanatos. Mars told us we only needed three people for the quest to Alaska. Let's concentrate on succeeding with that and getting back before the Feast of Fortuna. Then we can worry about the Doors of Death."

"So you do have a plan?" Octavian asked skeptically.

Andy looked at her teammates. "We go to Alaska as fast as possible. Then we improvise."

Reyna studied her. "Very well, Andy Jackson. Nothing remains except for us to vote what support we can give the quest."

"Praetor, if I may," Octavian said.

"I think everyone prefers you stay quiet," said Andy.

"The camp is in grave danger," Octavian insisted. "Two gods have warned us we will be attacked four days from now. We must not spread our resources too thin, especially by funding projects that have a slim chance of success." He looked at the three of them with pity. "Mars has clearly chosen the least likely candidates for this quest. Perhaps that is because he considers them the most expendable."

"I'm serious, Octavian," Andy stepped toward him. "Watch it or I'll show you who's expendable."

Octavian stepped back and cleared his throat. "Perhaps Mars is playing the long odds. Whatever the case, he wisely didn't order a massive expedition, nor did he ask us to fund their adventure. I say we keep our resources here and defend the camp. This is where the battle will be lost or won. If these three succeed, wonderful! But they should do so by their own ingenuity."

Frank jumped to his feet. Before he could start a fight, Andy said, "You know what? We don't want _your_ help, Octavian. You killed my panda. I don't want anything from you. But, Reyna, at least give us transportation. Gaea is the earth goddess, right? Going overland, across the earth... I'm guessing we should avoid that. Plus, it'll be too slow."

Octavian laughed. "Would you like us to charter you an airplane?"

The idea made Andy nauseous. "Gods, no. A boat. Can you at least give us a boat?"

Hazel made a grunting sound.

"A boat!" Octavian turned to the senators. "The child of land and sea wants a boat! Sea travel has never been the Roman way, but she isn't much of a Roman, is she?"

"I will hit you."

"Stop it, you two," Reyna said sternly. "A boat is little enough to ask. And it seems-"

"Let us see if these questers have the strength to survive without help, like true Romans!" Octavian laughed.

Reyna straightened in her chair. "Very well," she said tightly. "We'll put it to a vote. Senators, the motion is as follows: The quest shall go to Alaska. The senate shall provide full access to the Roman navy docked at Alameda. No other aid will be forthcoming. The three adventurers will survive or fail on their own merits. All in favor?"

Every senator's hand went up.

"The motion is passed." Reyna turned to Frank. "Centurion, your party is excused. The senate has other matters to discuss."


	11. Dreams & Memories

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part VI - _There's no mountain too great. Hear these words and have faith._

* * *

Leo trudged toward the woods and tried not to think about his childhood, all the messed-up things, his mother's death, all the times Tía Callida was there to "care" for him. There was a picture once... A picture Leo had drawn of a boat he'd seen in the flames, with colorful sails and rows of oars, a curved stern, and an awesome masthead. Tía Callida had snatched the picture away.

"It isn't time yet, little hero. Someday, you'll have your quest. You'll find your destiny, and your hard journey will finally make sense. But first you must face many sorrows. I regret that, but heroes cannot be shaped any other way."

She'd been a cheerful psychotic babysitter. Leo understood it now. Hera had been watching him his entire life. Somehow, she'd known that one day she would need him. It was his destiny to go on this quest. He might find out what that flying boat in his dreams meant. He might meet his father, or even get to avenge his mother's death. But first things first: he needed a flying ride.

He hesitated at the edge of the woods, peering into absolute blackness. Leo had nothing, no sword, no flashlight, no help, and it felt like no one should go in those woods alone, definitely not unarmed. But this was one of those situations he would simply have to dive in, Leo-style.

He took a deep breath and plunged into the forest.

He stumbled along until he was sure no one back at the cabins could possibly see him. Then he summoned fire. Flames danced along his fingertips, casting enough light to see. He hadn't tried to keep a sustained burn going since he was five, since his mom's death, because he'd been too afraid to try anything. Even this tiny fire made him feel guilty.

Then he heard a grinding snort, like steam forced out of a metal barrel. His neck tingled. He turned slowly. Fifty feet away, two glowing red eyes were staring at him. The creature gleamed in the moonlight, and Leo couldn't believe something that huge had sneaked up on him so fast. Too late, he realized its gaze was fixed on the fire in his hand, and he extinguished the flames.

He could still see the dragon just fine. It was about sixty feet long, snout to tail, its body made of interlocking bronze plates. Its claws were the size of butcher knives, and its mouth was lined with hundreds of dagger-sharp metal teeth. Steam came out of its nostrils. It was the most beautiful thing Leo had ever seen, except for one problem that completely ruined his plan.

"You don't have wings."

The dragon's snarl died. It tilted its head as if to say, _Why aren't you running away in terror?_

"Hey, no offense," Leo said. "You're amazing! Good god, who made you? Are you hydraulic or nuclear-powered or what? But if it was me, I would've put wings on you. What kind of dragon doesn't have wings? I guess maybe you're too heavy to fly? I should've thought of that..."

The dragon snorted, more confused now. It took a step forward, and Leo shouted, "No!" The dragon snarled again. It opened its mouth and blew fire. A column of white-hot flames billowed over Leo, more than he'd ever tried to endure before. It stung a little, but he stood his ground. When the flames died, he was perfectly fine. Even his clothes were okay, which Leo didn't understand, but for which he was grateful. He didn't want to face a dragon naked.

The dragon stared at him.

"You can't burn me," Leo said, trying to sound stern and calm. "But I can fix you if you'll let me..."

The dragon blew flames in every direction, lighting up the sky and setting trees on fire. Oil and sauce burned all over them. It didn't hurt Leo, but it left a nasty taste in his mouth.

"Will you stop that!" he yelled. "Listen, man, you're just going to show them where you are. Then they'll come and break out the acid and the metal cutters. Is that what you want?"

The dragon's jaw made a creaking sound, like it was trying to talk.

"Okay, then," Leo said. "You'll have to trust me."

And Leo set to work.

* * *

It took him almost an hour to find the control panel; it was right behind the dragon's head, which made sense. "Hold still!" Leo scolded.

The dragon made another creaking sound that might've been a whimper.

Leo examined the wires inside the dragon's head. It was ingenious, definitely, and it made sense to him. This was the motor control relay. This processed sensory input from the eyes. This disk …

"Ha," he said. "Well, no wonder. You've got a corroded control disk. Probably regulates your higher reasoning circuits, right? Rusty brain, man. No wonder you're a little… confused. This will only take a minute." He pulled out the disk, and the dragon went absolutely still. The glow died in its eyes. Leo slid off its back and began polishing the disk. But the more he cleaned, the more concerned he got. Some of the circuits were beyond repair. He could make it better, but not perfect. For that, he'd need a completely new disk, and he had no idea how to build one.

He tried to work quickly. Once he'd done the best he could, he climbed back up to the dragon's head and started cleaning the wiring and gearboxes, getting himself filthy in the process.

"Clean hands, dirty equipment," he muttered, something his mother used to say. He slipped in the disk, connected the last wire, and sparks flew. The dragon shuddered. Its eyes began to glow. "Better?" Leo asked.

The dragon made a sound like a high-speed drill. It opened its mouth and all its teeth rotated.

"I guess that's a yes."

The dragon roared triumphantly and shot fire at the sky.

"Seriously," Leo said. "Could you not show off? You need a name. I'm calling you Festus." The dragon whirred its teeth and grinned. "But we still have a problem, because you don't have wings."

Festus tilted his head and snorted steam. Then he lowered his back in an unmistakable gesture. He wanted Leo to climb on.

"Where we going?" Leo asked, but he was too excited to wait for an answer. He climbed onto the dragon's back, and Festus bounded off into the woods.

They crossed a stream and came to a dead end, a limestone cliff a hundred feet tall. Festus stopped at the base and lifted one leg like a dog pointing.

"What is it?" Leo slid to the ground. He walked up to the cliff; nothing but solid rock. The dragon kept pointing. "It's not going to move out of your way," Leo told him.

The loose wire in the dragon's neck sparked, but otherwise he stayed still. Leo put his hand on the cliff. Suddenly his fingers smoldered. Lines of fire spread from his fingertips like ignited gunpowder, raced across the cliff face until they had outlined a glowing red door five times as tall as Leo. He backed up and the door swung open, disturbingly silently.

"Perfectly balanced," he muttered. "That's some first-rate engineering."

The dragon unfroze and marched inside, as if he were coming home.

Leo followed him. "Festus," he muttered. "What is this place?"

The cave was the size of an airplane hangar, with endless worktables and storage cages, rows of garage-sized doors along either wall, and staircases that led up to a network of catwalks high above. Equipment was everywhere. Bulletin boards were covered with tattered, faded blueprints. And weapons, armor, shields, war supplies all over the place, a lot of them only partially finished.

"Do the other kids know…?" Leo's question died as he asked it. Clearly, this place had been abandoned for decades. Leo looked at a map on the wall: a battle map of camp, but the paper was as cracked and yellow as onionskin. A date at the bottom read, 1864. "No way," he muttered.

Then he spotted a blueprint on a nearby bulletin board, and his heart almost leaped out of his throat. He ran to the worktable and stared up at a white-line drawing almost faded beyond recognition: a Greek ship from several different angles. Faintly scrawled words underneath it read: _PROPHECY? UNCLEAR. FLIGHT?_

It was the ship he'd seen in his dreams, the flying ship. Someone had tried to build it here, or at least sketched out the idea. Then it was left, forgotten… a prophecy yet to come.

Leo's mind spun with too many questions he had to tuck aside for another day.

Festus snorted like he was trying to get Leo's attention, reminding him they didn't have all night. Festus nudged something toward Leo: a leather tool belt that had been left next to his construction pad. Then the dragon switched on his glowing red eye beams and turned them toward the ceiling. Leo looked up to where the spotlights were pointing, and yelped when he recognized the shapes hanging above them in the darkness.

"Festus," he said in a small voice. "We've got work to do."

* * *

It was always thundering in Cabin One; the domed ceiling was decorated with a blue-and-white mosaic like a cloudy sky. In the center of the room, a twenty-foot-tall, full-color statue of Zeus in classic Greek robes stood with a shield at his side and a lightning bolt raised, ready to smite somebody.

Lena studied the statue, looking for anything she had in common with the Lord of the Sky. Black hair? Nope. Grumbly expression? Well, maybe. Beard? No, thanks.

She got up and rubbed her neck. Her whole body was stiff from bad sleep and summoning lightning. That little trick last night hadn't been as easy as she had let on. It had almost made her pass out.

She put on the clothes the camp had given her, feeling extremely guilty about it. It felt wrong somehow, putting on the orange T-shirt, but Lena desperately needed something clean. She checked her reflection in Zeus's shield. Definitely didn't look as good as Piper had last night after she'd suddenly been transformed. Not that she had needed it... She always looked good, no matter what.

Lena had felt bad for Piper. Everybody had started fawning over her, telling her how amazing she was and how obviously she should be the one who went on the quest, but that attention had nothing to do with who she was. And when Lena had called down lightning, the other campers had looked at her in awe just because she was the daughter of Zeus, treating her special, but it didn't have anything to do with her.

After the campfire, when people started heading back to their cabins, Lena had gone up to Piper and formally asked her to come with her on the quest. She'd still been in a state of shock, but she nodded, rubbing her arms, which must've been cold in that sleeveless dress.

"Aphrodite took my snowboarding jacket," she muttered. "Mugged by my own mom."

"We'll get you a new jacket," Lena promised.

Piper managed a smile. Lena wanted to wrap her arms around her, but she restrained herself. She was glad to have Piper along for the mission, but surely didn't want to send her mixed signals. Lena had tried to act brave at the campfire, but it was just that: an act. She'd need help, and it felt right to have Piper with her.

Lena sighed. Then she spotted something she hadn't noticed before. A brazier had been moved out of one of the alcoves to create a sleeping niche, with a bedroll, a backpack, even some pictures taped to the wall. Lena walked over. Whoever had slept there, it had been a long time ago.

One picture showed Anthony, much younger, maybe nine, but Lena could tell it was he: same sand-colored hair and gray eyes, same distracted look like he was thinking a million things at once. He stood next to another guy with a mischievous smile and blue eyes. A second photo showed Anthony and the same guy sitting at a campfire, laughing hysterically.

Finally Lena picked up one of the photos that had fallen. It was a strip of pictures: Anthony and the other guy, but with another girl between them. She had black hair and sky blue eyes. She wore a black leather jacket, and silver jewelry, so she looked kind of goth; but she was caught mid-laugh, and it was clear she was with her two best friends.

"That's Thalia," someone said.

Lena turned.

Anthony was peering over her shoulder. His expression was sad, like the picture bought back hard memories. "She's the other daughter of Zeus who lived here. Sorry, I should've knocked."

"It's fine," Lena said. "Not like I think of this place as home."

Anthony was dressed for travel, his knife at his belt, and a backpack across his shoulder.

"Don't suppose you've changed your mind about coming with us?"

He shook his head. "You got a good team already. I'm off to look for Andy."

Lena was a little disappointed. She would've appreciated having somebody on the trip who knew what they were doing.

"Hey, you'll do fine," he promised. "Something tells me this isn't your first quest."

Lena had a vague suspicion he was right, but that didn't make her feel any better. Everyone seemed to think she was so brave and confident, but they didn't see how lost she really felt. She looked at the pictures of Anthony smiling and wondered how long it had been since he'd smiled. He must really like Andy Jackson to search for her so hard, and that made Lena a little envious. Was anyone searching for her right now?

"You know who I am," she guessed. "Don't you?"

Anthony gripped the hilt of his dagger. "Honestly, Lena… I'm not sure. My best guess, you're a loner. It happens sometimes. For one reason or another, the camp never found you, but you survived anyway by constantly moving around. Trained yourself to fight. Handled the monsters on your own. You beat the odds."

"The first thing Chiron said to me," she remembered, "was you should be dead."

"That could be why," Anthony said. "Most demigods would never make it on their own. And a child of Zeus... I mean, it doesn't get any more dangerous than that. The chances of your reaching age fifteen without finding Camp Half-Blood or dying... microscopic. But like I said, it does happen. Thalia ran away when she was young. She survived on her own for years. Even took care of me and Luke. So maybe you were a loner too."

Lena held out her arm. "And these marks?"

Anthony glanced at the tattoos. Clearly, they bothered him. "Well, the eagle is the symbol of Zeus, so that makes sense. The twelve lines... maybe they stand for years, if you'd been making them since you were three years old. SPQR—that's the motto of the old Roman Empire: _Senatus Populusque Romanus_ , the Senate and the People of Rome. Though why you would burn that on your own arm, I don't know."

"I, um… had a weird dream last night," Lena admitted.

He didn't look surprised. "Happens all the time to demigods. What did you see?"

"I stood in a clearing in the middle of a forest," she recalled. "A pack of large wolves milled around me. I don't know why, but it felt familiar. Like I'd been there. One of the wolves, as if reading my mind, said, _You began your journey here as a pup. Now you must find your way back. A new quest, a new start._ Then Hera appeared and... The she-wolf said... She said: _The enemy has chosen this place to awaken her most powerful son, the giant king. Our sacred place, where demigods are claimed... the place of death or life. The burned house. The house of the wolf. It is an abomination. You must stop her. Use your senses, pup. You know this place. You can find it again. Cleanse our house. Stop this before it is too late. You are our saving grace, as always. Do not fail, daughter of Jupiter_."

Anthony started pacing, looking more and more agitated. "You don't remember where this house is?"

Lena shook her head. "But I'm sure I've been there before."

"And the she-wolf…"

"She said the enemy was a 'her.' I thought maybe it was Hera, but—"

"I wouldn't trust Hera, but I don't think she's the enemy." His expression darkened. "Whoever it is... Whatever it is... You've got to stop it."

"You know what it is, don't you? Or at least, you've got a guess. I saw your face last night at the campfire. You looked at Chiron like it was suddenly dawning on you, but you didn't want to scare us."

Anthony hesitated. "Lena, the thing about prophecies… the more you know, the more you try to change them, and that can be disastrous. Chiron believes it's better that you find your own path, find out things in your own time. If he'd told me everything he knew before my first quest with Andy… I've got to admit, I'm not sure I would've been able to go through with it. For your quest, it's even more important."

"That bad, huh?"

"Not if you succeed. At least… I hope not."

"But I don't even know where to start. Where am I supposed to go?"

"Follow the monsters," he suggested.

Lena thought about that. "Okay. How do I find storm winds?"

"Personally, I'd ask a wind god. Aeolus is the master of all the winds, but he's a little… unpredictable. No one finds him unless he wants to be found. I'd try one of the four seasonal wind gods that work for Aeolus. The nearest one, the one who has the most dealings with heroes, is Boreas, the North Wind. He's not hard to find. He settled in North America like all the other gods. So of course he picked the oldest northern settlement, about as far north as you can go."

"Maine?"

"Farther."

Lena tried to envision a map. "Canada?"

Anthony smiled. "I hope you speak French."

Lena actually felt a spark of excitement. Quebec; at least now she had a goal.  
"Thanks, Anthony." She looked at the photo booth pictures still in her hand. "So, um… you said it was dangerous being a child of Zeus. What ever happened to Thalia?"

"Oh, she's fine," he said. "She became a Hunter of Artemis, one of the handmaidens of the goddess. They roam around the country killing monsters. We don't see them at camp very often."

Lena glanced over at the huge statue of Zeus. She understood why Thalia had slept in this alcove. It was the only place in the cabin not in Hippie Zeus's line of sight. Lena felt a strange connection to the other daughter of Zeus. The photo seemed important. She was forgetting something... "What is her last name?"

"She didn't use her last name. She never got along with her mom. She ran away when she was pretty young." Lena waited. "Grace," he said. "Thalia Grace."

Lena's fingers went numb. The picture fluttered to the floor.

"You okay?" Anthony asked.

A shred of memory had ignited, maybe a tiny piece that Hera had forgotten to steal.

 _You are our saving grace,_ the she-wolf had said. _Grace._

"My last name is Grace," Lena said. "This is my sister."

Anthony turned pale. Lena could see him wrestling with dismay, disbelief, anger. He thought she was lying.

Then the doors of the cabin burst open. Half a dozen campers spilled in, led by the bald guy from Iris, Butch. "Hurry!" he said, and Lena couldn't tell if his expression was excitement or fear. "The dragon is back."


	12. Princess of Sparta

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part VII - _I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder, over, sideways and under, on a magic carpet ride._

* * *

After a horrible night's sleep, still no change: her hair was styled like a supermodel's and her skin was perfect. Piper wanted to die. She would've changed clothes, but she had nothing to change into.

Drew was sitting in front of a mirror. "So anyways, people, fifteen minutes until breakfast. The cabin's not going to clean itself! And Mitchell, I think you've learned your lesson. Right, sweetie? So you're on garbage patrol just for today, mm-kay? Show Piper how it's done, 'cause I have a feeling she'll have that job soon... if she survives her quest. Now, get to work, everybody! It's my bathroom time!"

Everybody started rushing around, making beds and folding clothes, while Drew scooped up her makeup kit, hair dryer, and brush and marched into the bathroom slamming the door shut.

Piper took another look around. The cabin was a life-size dollhouse, with pink walls and white window trim. The lace curtains were pastel blue and green, which of course matched the sheets and feather comforters on all the beds.

To make matters worse, there was _The Poster_. Piper's heart sunk and her cheeks started to burn. She wished she could rip it off the wall and eat it. It was the most ridiculous poster of all time. Piper and her dad had had a good laugh over it the first time they saw it. Then the movie made a bajillion dollars. The poster graphic popped up everywhere. Piper couldn't get away from it at school, walking down the street, even online.

 _KING OF SPARTA_ \- yes, why the hell not? Piper stared at three-quarters shot of bare-chested bronze flesh, with ripped pectorals and six-pack abs that belonged to her father. Quickly, she turned away so no one would think she was staring at it. She tried to look busy, but she kept thinking of Lena, the only person who'd been genuinely nice to her after the claiming. Gods, she'd wanted to kiss her, but she'd seemed so uncomfortable, almost scared of Piper.

A girl with blond pigtails and braces raced up with a pile of clothes in her arms. She looked around furtively like she was delivering nuclear materials. "I brought you these," she whispered.

The boy on garbage patron, Mitchell, said: "Piper, meet Lacy."

"Hi," Lacy said breathlessly. "You can change clothes. The blessing won't stop you. This is just, you know, a backpack, some rations, ambrosia and nectar for emergencies, some jeans, a few extra shirts, and a warm jacket. The boots might be a little snug. But—well—we took up a collection. Good luck on your quest!"

Lacy dumped the things on the bed and started to hurry away, but Piper caught her arm. "Hold on. At least let me thank you! Why are you rushing off?"

Lacy looked like she might shake apart from nervousness. "Oh, well—"

"Drew might find out," Mitchell explained. "Last night, after you were claimed, I said you might not be so bad. See where I ended up. But even if it's worth nothing, welcome to Cabin 10."

"Thanks," Piper murmured.

"And there're worse punishments," Mitchell warned. "Drew can charmspeak, see? Not many Aphrodite kids have that power; but if she tries hard enough, she can get you to do some pretty embarrassing things. Piper, you're the first person I've seen in a long time who is able to resist her."

"Charmspeak..." Piper gulped. "You mean, like, you could talk someone into doing things? Or... giving you things?"

"Yeah," Mitchell said. "She could do that."

"So that's why she's head counselor," Piper guessed. "She convinced you all?"

"Nah, she inherited the post when Silena Beauregard died in the war. Drew was second oldest. Oldest camper automatically gets the post, unless somebody with more years or more completed quests wants to challenge, in which case there's a duel, but that hardly ever happens. Anyway, we've been stuck with Drew in charge since August. She decided to make some, ah, changes in the way the cabin is run."

"Yes, I did!" Suddenly Drew was there, leaning against the bunk. Lacy squeaked like a guinea pig and tried to run, but Drew put an arm out to stop her. She looked down at Mitchell. "I think you missed some trash, sweetie. You'd better make another pass."

Piper glanced toward the bathroom and saw that Drew had dumped everything from the bathroom waste bin all over the floor. Mitchell sat up on his haunches. He glared at Drew like he was about to attack, but finally he snapped, "Fine."

Drew smiled. "See, Piper, hon, we're a good cabin here. A good family! Silena Beauregard, though... take a warning from her. She was secretly passing information to Kronos in the Titan War, helping the enemy." Drew's eyes were as cold as steel. Piper got the feeling Drew was looking straight into her soul, pulling out her secrets. _Helping the enemy._ "None of the other cabins talk about it. They act like Silena Beauregard was a hero."

"She sacrificed her life to make things right," Mitchell grumbled. "She _was_ a hero."

"Mmm-hmm," Drew said. "Another day on garbage patrol, Mitchell. But anyways, Silena lost track of what this cabin is about. We match up cute couples at camp! Then we break them apart and start over! It's the best fun ever. We don't have any business getting involved in other stuff like wars and quests. I certainly haven't been on any quests. They're a waste of time!"

Lacy raised her hand nervously. "But last night you said you wanted to go on a—" Drew glared at her, and Lacy's voice died.

"Most of all," Drew continued, "we certainly don't need our image tarnished by spies, do we, Piper?" Piper tried to answer, but she couldn't. Drew could read her like an open book. "It's too bad you won't be around. But if you survive your little quest, don't worry, I'll find somebody to match up with you. Maybe one of those gross Hephaestus guys. Or Clovis? He's pretty repulsive." Drew looked her over with a mix of pity and disgust. "Honestly, I didn't think it was possible for Aphrodite to have an ugly child, but... who was your father? Was he some sort of mutant, or—"

"Tristan McLean," Piper snapped. "My dad's Tristan McLean."

The stunned silence was gratifying for a few seconds, but Piper felt ashamed of herself. Everybody turned and looked at The Poster.

"Oh my god!" half the girls screamed at once.

"He is so hot for an old guy," a girl said, and then she blushed. "I'm sorry. He's your dad... That's so weird!"

"It's weird, all right," Piper agreed.

"Do you think you could get me his autograph?" another girl asked.

Piper forced a smile. "Yeah, no problem," she managed.

The girl squealed in excitement, and more kids surged forward, asking a dozen questions at once.

"Have you had your rite of passage?"

That one caught Piper off guard. "Rite of what?"

The girls and guys giggled and shoved each other around like this was an embarrassing topic. "The rite of passage for an Aphrodite child," one explained. "You get someone to fall in love with you. Then you break their heart. Dump them. Once you do that, you've proven yourself worthy of Aphrodite."

Piper stared at the crowd to see if they were joking. "Break someone's heart on purpose? That's terrible!"

The others looked confused. "Why?"

"Oh my god!" a girl said. "I bet Aphrodite broke your dad's heart! I bet he never loved anyone again, did he? That's so romantic! When you have your rite of passage, you can be just like Mom!"

"Forget it!" Piper yelled, a little louder than she'd intended. The other kids backed away. "I'm not breaking somebody's heart just for a stupid rite of passage!"

Which of course gave Drew a chance to take back control. "Well, there you go!" she cut in. "Silena said the same thing. She broke the tradition, fell in love with that Beckendorf boy, and _stayed_ in love. If you ask me, that's why things ended tragically for her."

"That's not true!" Lacy squeaked, but Drew glared at her, and she immediately melted back into the crowd.

"Hardly matters," Drew continued, "because, Piper, hon, you couldn't break anyone's heart anyway. And this nonsense about your dad being Tristan McLean... that's so begging for attention."

Several of the kids blinked uncertainly. "You mean he's not her dad?" one asked.

Drew rolled her eyes. "Please. Now, it's time for breakfast, people, and Piper here has to start that little quest. So let's get her packed and get her out of here!" Drew broke up the crowd and got everyone moving.

Mitchell and Lacy helped Piper pack. They even guarded the bathroom while Piper went in and changed into a better traveling outfit. She strapped her dagger, Katoptris, to her belt. When Piper came out, she felt almost normal again. She also noticed that The Poster had been wadded up and thrown in the trash. She was relieved.

When Drew spotted her, she clapped in mock applause. "Very nice! Our little quest girl all dressed in Dumpster clothes again. Now, off you go! No need to eat breakfast with us. Good luck with... whatever. Bye!"

Piper shouldered her bag. She could feel everyone else's eyes on her as she walked to the door. "You know, you all don't have to follow Drew's orders," she told them.

The other kids shifted. Several glanced at Drew, but she looked too stunned to respond.

"Umm," one managed, "she's our head counselor."

"She's a tyrant," Piper corrected. "You can think for yourselves. There's got to be more to Aphrodite than this."

Some kids echoed her words like a mantra.

"Think for ourselves," a second muttered.

"People!" Drew screeched. "Don't be stupid! She's charm-speaking you."

"No," Piper said. "I'm just telling the truth."

Drew sneered at her. "You may have a little power, Princess of Sparta. But you don't know the first thing about Aphrodite. You have such great ideas? What do you think this cabin is about, then? Tell them."

"Not this," Piper managed. "Aphrodite can't be about this." Then she turned and stormed out before the others could see her blushing. Piper promised herself she would never ever go back to that cabin. She stormed across the green, not sure where she was going... until she saw the dragon swooping down from the sky. "Leo?"

There he was, sitting atop a giant bronze death machine and grinning like a lunatic. Even before he landed, the camp alarm went up. A conch horn blew. All the satyrs started screaming, "Don't kill me!"

The dragon set down right in the middle of the green, and Leo yelled, "It's cool! Don't shoot!"

Hesitantly, the archers lowered their bows. The warriors backed away, keeping their spears and swords ready. Nobody seemed anxious to get close.

The dragon was huge. It glistened in the morning sun like a living penny sculpture. "It's beautiful," Piper muttered. The other demigods stared at her like she was insane.

Leo slid calmly off the dragon's back. He held up his hands like he was surrendering, except he still had that crazy grin on his face. "People of Earth, I come in peace!" he shouted. He looked like he'd been rolling around in the campfire and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked like he hadn't slept all night. But he was absolutely delighted. "Festus is just saying hello!"

"That thing is dangerous!" an Ares girl shouted, brandishing her spear. "Kill it now!"

"Stand down!" someone ordered. To Piper's surprise, it was Lena. She pushed through the crowd, flanked by Anthony and that girl from the Hephaestus cabin, Nyssa. Lena gazed up at the dragon and shook her head in amazement. "Leo, what have you done?"

"Found a ride!" Leo beamed. "You said I could go on the quest if I got you a ride. Well, I got you a class-A metallic flying bad boy! Festus can take us anywhere!"

"It... has wings," Nyssa stammered.

"Yeah!" Leo said. "I found them and reattached them."

"But it never had wings. Where did you find them?"

Leo hesitated, and Piper could tell he was hiding something. "In... the woods," he said. "Repaired his circuits, too, mostly, so no more problems with him going haywire."

"Mostly?" Nyssa asked.

The dragon's head twitched. It tilted to one side and a stream of black liquid, maybe oil, poured out of its ear, all over Leo. "Just a few kinks to work out," Leo said.

"But how did you survive...?" Nyssa was still staring at the creature in awe. "I mean, the fire breath..."

"I'm quick," Leo shrugged. "And lucky. Now, am I on this quest, or what?"

Lena scratched her head. "You named him Festus? You know that in Latin, _'festus'_ means _'happy'_? You want us to ride off to save the world on Happy the Dragon?"

The dragon twitched and shuddered and flapped his wings. "That's a yes, girl!" Leo said. "Now, um, I'd really suggest we get going. I already picked up some supplies in the... um, in the woods. And all these people with weapons are making Festus nervous."

Lena frowned. "But we haven't planned anything yet. We can't just—"

"Go," Anthony said. He was the only one who didn't look nervous at all. His expression was sad and wistful, like this reminded him of better times. "Lena, you've only got a few days until the solstice now, and you should never keep a nervous dragon waiting. This is certainly a good omen. Go!"

Lena nodded. Then she smiled at Piper. "You ready?"

"You bet."

Flying on the dragon was the most amazing experience ever, Piper thought. Up high, the air was freezing cold; but the dragon's metal hide generated so much heat, it was like they were flying in a protective bubble. They sat single file: Leo in front, then Piper, then Lena, and Piper was very aware of Lena right behind her.

Leo used the reins to steer the dragon into the sky like he'd been doing it all his life. "Cool, right?" He glanced back and smiled at them.

"Any idea where we're heading?" Piper asked, somewhat fearing the answer.

"To find the god of the North Wind," Lena said readily. "And chase some storm spirits."


	13. Not Very Roman

Act II - **From The Sea We Rise**

Part VI - _Hundreds of dangers await and I don't plan to miss one. In a land I can claim, a land I can tame; the greatest adventure is mine._

* * *

Andy was glad Riptide had returned to her pocket. Judging from Reyna's expression, Andy thought she might need to defend herself. Reyna stormed into the _principia_ with her purple cloak billowing, and her greyhounds at her feet. Andy was sitting in one of the praetor chairs that she'd pulled to the visitor's side, which maybe wasn't the proper thing to do but nobody said anything about it.

"We have a lot to discuss," Reyna growled. Aurum and Argentum took their posts on her left and right and fixed their ruby eyes on Andy.

"What have I done now?" she asked. "If this is about the chair, like, seriously, my legs are tired..."

"It's not you." Reyna scowled. "I hate senate meetings. When Octavian gets talking..."

Andy nodded. "You're a warrior. Octavian is a talker. Put him in front of the senate, and suddenly he becomes the powerful one."

Reyna narrowed her eyes. "You're smarter than you look."

"Gee, thanks. I hear Octavian might get elected praetor, assuming the camp survives that long."

"Which brings us to the subject of doomsday," Reyna said, "and how you might help prevent it. But before I place the fate of Camp Jupiter in your hands, we need to get a few things straight." She sat down and put a ring on the table: a band of silver etched with a sword-and-torch design, like her arm's tattoo. "Do you know what this is?"

"The sign of your... godly parent?" Andy asked. "Ah... Hum, the goddess of war. Something like... bologna? Or salami?"

"Bellona." Reyna scrutinized Andy carefully. "You don't remember where you saw this ring before? You really don't remember me or my sister, Hylla?"

Andy shook her head. "I'm sorry. I have no memory. Of anything."

"It would've been two years ago. It seems so long ago. I suppose you wouldn't recall me even if you had your memory. I was just one attendant among so many at the spa. But you spoke with my sister, just before you and the boy, Anthony, destroyed our home."

Andy's heart raced. "Wait... So you know Anthony? Do you know where I can find him? Please, I need-"

Reyna raised her hand. "I do not. That was the only time I saw the both of you." Then her eyes softened. "He is the one you remember? The only thing left in your mind?"

Andy nodded. "What were we doing at a spa?"

Reyna tapped the silver ring. "I don't know. Now, I believe you are sincere. But not everyone at camp does. Octavian thinks you're a spy. He thinks you were sent here by Gaea to find our weaknesses and distract us. He believes the old legends about the Greeks."

"Old legends?"

"Some believe Greek demigods still exist," she said, "heroes who follow the older forms of the gods. There are legends of battles between Roman and Greek heroes in relatively modern times; the American Civil War, for instance. I have no proof of this, and if our Lares know anything, they refuse to say. But Octavian believes the Greeks are still around, plotting our downfall, working with the forces of Gaea. He thinks you are one of them."

"Is that what you believe?"

"I believe you came from somewhere," she said. "You're important, and dangerous. Two gods have taken a special interest in you since you arrived, so I can't believe you'd work against Olympus... or Rome." She shrugged. "Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps the gods sent you here to test my judgment. But I think... I think you were sent here to make up for the loss of Lena," her voice softened when she said her name.

"You were a couple, right?" Andy blurted out. Reyna's eyes bored into her, like the eyes of a hungry wolf. "It's just... the way you talk about her. That look in your eyes. I see it every time I look in the mirror."

Reyna sighed. "She was my best friend. Praetors work closely together. It's common for them to become romantically involved. But Lena was praetor for only a few months before she disappeared. Ever since then, Octavian has been pestering me, agitating for new elections. I've resisted. I need a partner in power, but I'd prefer someone like Lena. Another warrior, not a schemer."

She waited. Andy's throat went dry. "Oh... you mean... oh."

"I believe the gods sent you to help me, Andy," Reyna said. "I don't understand where you come from, any more than I understood it two years ago. But I think your arrival is some sort of repayment. You destroyed my home once. Now you've been sent to save my new home. I don't hold a grudge against you for the past, Andy. My sister hates you still, it's true, but Fate brought me here to Camp Jupiter. I've done well. All I ask is that you work with me for the future. I intend to save this camp."

Andy found Reyna's eyes a lot harder to meet. "Look, I'll help," she promised. "But I'm new here. You've got a lot of good people who know this camp better than I do. If we succeed on this quest, Hazel and Frank will be heroes. You could ask one of them..."

"Please," Reyna sneered. "No one will follow a child of Pluto. There's something about that girl... rumors about where she came from... No, she won't do. As for Frank Zhang, he has a good heart, but he's hopelessly naive and inexperienced. Besides, if the others found out about his family history at this camp—"

"Family history?"

"The point is, Andy, you are the real power on this quest. You are a seasoned veteran. I've seen what you can do. A daughter of Neptune wouldn't be my first choice, but if you return successfully from this mission, the legion might be saved. The praetorship will be yours for the taking. Together, you and I could expand the power of Rome. We could raise an army and find the Doors of Death, crush Gaea's forces once and for all. You would find me a very helpful ally."

"Reyna... I'm honored, and all. Seriously. But I don't want power, or a praetorship. All I want... all I _need_ is my memory back and way to find Anthony."

Reyna raised her eyebrows. "A demigod who turns down power?" she said. "That's not very Roman of you. Just think about it. In a few days, I have to make a choice. If we are to fight off an invasion, we must have two strong praetors. I'd prefer you, but if you fail on your quest, or don't come back, or refuse my offer... Well, I'll work with Octavian. I mean to save this camp, Andy Jackson. Things are worse than you realize."

"How bad?"

Reyna's nails dug into the table. "Even the senate doesn't know the whole truth. I've asked Octavian not to share his auguries, or we'd have mass panic. He's seen a great army marching south, more than we can possibly defeat. They're led by a giant—"

"Alcyoneus?"

"I don't think so. If he is truly invulnerable in Alaska, he'd be foolish to come here himself. It must be one of his brothers."

"Great," Andy said. "So we've got two giants to worry about."

The praetor nodded. "Lupa and her wolves are trying to slow them down, but this force is too strong even for them. The enemy will be here soon... by the Feast of Fortuna at the very latest. It is bad but not hopeless. If you succeed in bringing back our eagle, if you release Death so we can actually kill our enemies, then we stand a chance. And there's one more possibility..." Reyna slid the silver ring across the table. "I can't give you much help, but your journey will take you close to Seattle. I'm asking you for a favor, which may also help you. Find my sister Hylla."

"Your sister...? The one who hates me?"

"Oh, yes," Reyna agreed. "She would love to kill you. But show her that ring as a token from me, and she may help you instead."

"May?"

"I can't speak for her. In fact..." Reyna frowned. "In fact I haven't spoken to her in weeks. She's gone silent. With these armies passing through..."

"You want me to check on her," Andy guessed. "Make sure she's okay."

"Partially, yes. I can't imagine she's been overcome. My sister has a powerful force. Her territory is well defended. But if you can find her, she could offer you valuable help. It could mean the difference between success and failure on your quest. And if you tell her what's happening here—"

"She might send help?" Andy asked.

Reyna didn't answer, but Andy could see the desperation in her eyes. She was terrified, grasping for anything that could save her camp. Andy took the ring. "I'll find her. Where do I look? What kind of forces does she have?"

"Don't worry. Just go to Seattle. They'll find you."

Andy nodded once more. "Well, wish me luck."

"Fight well, Andy Jackson," Reyna said. "And thank you."

Andy could tell the audience was over. But at the door of the _principia_ , she turned back. "How did we destroy your home? That spa where you lived?"

The metal greyhounds growled. Reyna snapped her fingers to silence them. "You destroyed the power of our mistress," she said. "You freed some prisoners who took revenge on all of us who lived on the island. My sister and I... well, we survived. It was difficult. But in the long run, I think we are better off away from that place."

"I'm sorry," Andy said. "If I hurt you, please, forgive me."

Reyna gazed at her for a long time, as if trying to translate her words. "An apology? Not very Roman at all, Andy Jackson. You'd make an interesting praetor. I hope you'll think about my offer."

* * *

Everybody ate their lunch quietly. Nobody seemed particularly happy. Reyna made a brief speech wishing them luck. Octavian ripped open a Beanie Baby and pronounced grave omens and hard times ahead. Andy followed Hazel and Frank to the barracks to pack. She didn't have much. A second purple T-shirt, nectar and ambrosia, snacks and some mortal money. Reyna had handed her a scroll of introduction from the praetor and camp senate. Supposedly, any retired legionnaires they met on the trip would help them if shown the letter.

Nico came to wish them luck. He shook Frank's hand and asked him to keep Hazel safe. Hazel asked him if he'd stay at Camp Jupiter to help defend it, but he said he'd be leaving today, heading back to the Underworld.

"Dad needs all the help he can get," he explained. "The Fields of Punishment look like a prison riot. The Furies can barely keep order. Besides... I'm going to try to track some of the escaping souls. Maybe I can find the Doors of Death from the other side."

"Be careful," Hazel said. "If Gaea is guarding those doors—"

"Don't worry." Nico smiled. "I know how to stay hidden. Just take care of yourself. The closer you get to Alaska –" he stopped himself eyeing Hazel with concern.

"If we free Thanatos," she told him, lowering her voice, "I may never see you again."

Nico took her hand. His fingers were so pale, it was hard to believe Hazel and he shared the same godly father. "I won't lose another sister," he said. "Good luck, Hazel." He hugged his sister then turned to Andy. It was unsettling the mixture of feelings in his face. He was nervous, unsure, puzzled but there was also some sort of fondness that Andy found strangely appealing. Before he could say anything, she hugged him. His body stiffened, but he didn't step away.

"See you, Death Boy," she said, the words tugging at her memory.

The panic in his eyes made her think she had done something wrong. "What did you call me?"

"Sorry," she said quickly. "For a second... I thought... Forget it."

Nico almost smiled. "Take care, Jackson," he said. Then he melted into the shadows.

* * *

It took them two hours to reach the docks in Alameda. Compared to Andy's last few days, the trip was easy. No monsters attacked. There were no signs of danger. They got off in Oakland. They had to walk through some rough neighborhoods, but nobody bothered them. In the late afternoon, they made it to the Alameda docks. Andy looked out over San Francisco Bay and breathed in the salty sea air. Immediately she felt better.

Dozens of boats were moored at the docks, everything from fifty-foot yachts to ten-foot fishing boats. "Um... you guys know what we're looking for?" she asked.

Hazel and Frank shook their heads. "I didn't even know we had a navy." Hazel sounded as if she wished there wasn't one.

"Oh..." Frank pointed. "You don't think...?"

At the end of the dock was a tiny boat, like a dinghy, covered in a purple tarp. Embroidered in faded gold along the canvas was S.P.Q.R.

Andy's confidence wavered. "Oh, c'mon."

She uncovered the boat, her hands working the knots like she'd been doing it her whole life. Under the tarp was an old steel rowboat with no oars. The boat had been painted dark blue at one point, but the hull was so crusted with tar and salt it looked like one massive nautical bruise. On the bow, the name _Pax_ was still readable, lettered in gold. On board were two benches, some steel wool, an old cooler, and a mound of frayed rope with one end tied to the mooring.

"Behold," Frank said. "The mighty Roman navy."

"There's got to be a mistake," Hazel said. "This is a piece of junk."

Andy imagined Octavian laughing at them, and decided to make it work out of spite. She jumped aboard. The hull hummed under her feet, responding to her presence. Andy pointed at the rope, and it untied itself from the dock. "This'll do," she said grumpily. "Hop in."

Hazel and Frank looked a little stunned, but they climbed aboard. Hazel seemed especially nervous. When they had settled on the seats, Andy concentrated, and the boat slipped away from the dock.

"Let's see what this rowboat can do." She turned the boat to the north, and in no time they were speeding along at fifteen knots, heading for the Golden Gate Bridge.


	14. Fire & Ice

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part VIII - _There's beauty and there's danger here. Split the ice apart! Beware the frozen heart!_

* * *

Okay, so the dragon wasn't quite as fixed as Leo might've let on. He'd worked all night attaching those wings, but he hadn't found an extra dragon brain anywhere in the bunker. Besides, Leo had cleaned the disk pretty well. And most of the circuits were still good...

"So what's the plan, ladies?" he asked. "You said something about catching wind, or breaking wind, or something?"

"We need to find some guy named Boreas and—" Lena started to say but Leo cut her.

"His name is Boreas? What is he, the God of Boring?"

Lena chose to ignore that. "We have to find those _venti_ and—"

"Can we just call them storm spirits?" Leo cut her again. " _Venti_ makes them sound like evil espresso drinks."

Lena didn't seem angry for being interrupted; in fact, one of the things Leo admired the most about her was her patience. Anything was fine with Lena. She would always find a way to deal with what had been given to her, without complaints, without arguments. "We must find out who the storm spirits work for, so we can find Hera and free her," she finished.

"So you want to look for Dylan, the nasty storm dude, on purpose," Leo said. "The guy who threw me off the skywalk and sucked Coach Hedge into the clouds."

"That's about it," Lena said. "Well... there may be a wolf involved, too. But I think she's friendly. She probably won't eat us, unless we show weakness." And she told them about her dream.

"Uh-huh," Leo said. "But you don't know where this place is."

"Nope," she admitted.

"There's also giants," Piper added. "The prophecy said _'the giants' revenge.'_ "

"Hold on," Leo said. "Giants... like more than one? Why can't it be just one giant who wants revenge?"

"I don't think so," Piper said. "I remember in some of the old Greek stories, there was something about an army of giants."

"Great," Leo muttered. "Of course, with our luck, it's an army. So you know anything else about these giants? Didn't you do a bunch of myth research for that movie with your dad?"

"Wait. Your dad's an actor?" Lena asked.

Leo laughed. "I keep forgetting about your amnesia. Heh! Forgetting about amnesia. I amaze myself sometimes... But yeah, her dad's Tristan McLean."

"Uh... I think I never heard of-"

"It doesn't matter," Piper said quickly. "The giants... well, there were lots of giants in Greek mythology. But if I'm thinking of the right ones, they were bad news. Huge, almost impossible to kill. They could throw mountains and stuff. I think they were related to the Titans. They rose from the earth after Kronos lost the war... I mean the first Titan war, thousands of years ago... and they tried to destroy Olympus. If we're talking about the same giants—"

"Chiron said it was happening again," Lena remembered. "The last chapter. That's what he meant. No wonder he didn't want us to know all the details."

Leo whistled. "So... giants who can throw mountains. Friendly wolves that will eat us if we show weakness. Evil espresso drinks. Gotcha. Maybe this isn't the time to bring up my psycho babysitter."

"Is that another joke?" Piper asked.

Leo told them about _Tía Callida,_ who was really Hera, and how she'd appeared to him at camp. He didn't tell them about his fire abilities, however. That was still a touchy subject, especially because of his mom's death, and he wasn't ready to go there.

"That's... disturbing," Piper said.

"'Bout sums it up," Leo agreed. "Thing is, everybody says don't trust Hera. She hates demigods. And the prophecy said we'd cause death if we unleash her rage. So I'm wondering... why are we doing this?"

"She chose us," Lena said. "All three of us. We're the first of the seven who have to gather for the Great Prophecy. This quest is the beginning of something much bigger. And besides, helping Hera is the only way I can get back my memory. And that dark spire in my dream seemed to be feeding on Hera's energy. If that thing unleashes a king of the giants by destroying Hera—"

"Not a good trade-off," Piper agreed. "At least Hera is on our side... mostly. Losing her would throw the gods into chaos. She's the main one who keeps peace in the family. And a war with the giants could be even more destructive than the Titan War."

Lena nodded. Festus kept flying. The wind got colder, and below them snowy forests seemed to go on forever. Leo didn't know exactly where Quebec was, but hopefully, the dragon knew the way.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Piper said in his ear. "You were up all night."

Leo wanted to protest, but the word sleep sounded really good. "You won't let me fall off?"

Piper patted his shoulder. "Trust me, Valdez. Beautiful people never lie."

"Right," he muttered. He leaned forward against the warm bronze of the dragon's neck, and closed his eyes.

* * *

It seemed he slept only for seconds, but when Piper shook him awake, the daylight was fading. "We're here," she said.

Leo rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Below them, a city sat on a cliff overlooking a river. The plains around it were dusted with snow, but the city itself glowed warmly in the winter sunset. "Tell me that's Quebec and not Santa's workshop."

"Yeah, Quebec City," Piper confirmed. "One of the oldest cities in North America. Founded around sixteen hundred or so?"

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Your dad do a movie about that too?"

She made a face at him. "I read sometimes, okay? Just because Aphrodite claimed me, doesn't mean I have to be an airhead."

"Feisty!" Leo said.

The dragon landed on the roof of a hotel that looked like a medieval castle. The grand entrance was bustling with doormen, valets, and porters taking bags.

"Heads up, guys," Lena said. "We got company!"

Leo looked below. Rising from the top of a tower were two winged figures; angry angels, with nasty-looking swords.

"No clearance," one of them said. "You have no flight plan on file. This is restricted airspace."

"Destroy them?" the other suggested.

Festus began to hiss steam and Lena summoned her golden sword, but Leo cried, "Hold on! Let's have some manners here, guys. Can I at least find out who has the honor of destroying me?"

"I am Cal!" the one to the right said. He looked very proud of himself, like he'd taken a long time to memorize that sentence.

"That's short for Calais," the other explained. "Sadly, my brother cannot say words with more than two syllables—"

"Pizza! Hockey! Destroy!" Cal offered.

"—which includes his own name," the love god finished.

"I am Cal," Cal repeated. "And this is Zethes! My brother!"

"Wow," Leo said. "That was almost three sentences, man! Way to go."

Cal grunted, obviously pleased with himself.

"Stupid buffoon," his brother grumbled. "They make fun of you. But no matter. Now the ladies..." He winked at Piper and Lena, "... may call me anything they like. Perhaps they would like to have dinner with a famous demigod before we destroy you?"

Piper and Lena exchanged a look. Piper cleared her throat. "That's... a truly horrifying offer."

"It is no problem." Zethes wiggled his eyebrows. "We are a very romantic people, we Boreads."

"Boreads?" Lena repeated. "Do you mean, like, the sons of Boreas?"

"Ah, so you've heard of us, sweetie!" Zethes looked pleased. "We are our father's gatekeepers. So you understand, we cannot have unauthorized people flying in his airspace on creaky dragons. Which is sadly why, unless this is an emergency landing," Zethes said, brushing his hair out of his acne-covered face, "we will have to destroy you painfully."

"Wait!" Piper said. "This _is_ an emergency landing."

Zethes studied her. "How does the pretty girl decide this is an emergency, then?"

"We have to see Boreas. It's totally urgent! Please?" She forced a smile. Something about her voice, too, Leo found himself believing every word. Lena was nodding, looking absolutely convinced.

"Well... I hate to disappoint a lovely lady," said Zethes, "but you see, my sister, she would have an avalanche if we allowed you—"

"And our dragon is malfunctioning!" Piper added. "It could crash any minute!" Festus shuddered helpfully, then turned his head and spilled gunk out of his ear.

"No destroy?" Cal whimpered.

Zethes pondered the problem. Then he gave Piper another spasmodic wink. "Well, you are pretty. I mean, you're right. A malfunctioning dragon, this could be an emergency. It will take some explaining," he decided. "Father has not been kind to visitors lately."

"Pff," said Leo. "He just hasn't met me yet, that's all." He whistled an order to Festus.

"Come, faulty dragon people. Follow us," said Zethes.

* * *

They landed in what must have been the penthouse suite; but the place had been hit by a flash freeze. The ice made the room's beauty a little frightening. A fine layer of frost covered the furniture. The curtains didn't budge because they were frozen solid, and the ice-coated windows let in weird watery light from the sunset. Even the ceiling was furry with icicles.

"Guys," Leo said, "we're touring Elsa's house!"

Lena looked uneasily at the staircase. Festus shuddered and snorted flames. Frost started to form on his scales.

"No, no, no." Zethes marched over. "The dragon must be deactivated. We can't have fire in here. The heat ruins my hair."

Festus growled and spun his drill-bit teeth. "The dragon's a little touchy about the whole deactivation concept," said Leo. "But I've got a better solution."

"Destroy?" Cal suggested.

"No, man. You gotta stop with the destroy talk. Just wait."

"Leo," Piper said nervously, "what are you—"

"Watch and learn, Princess of Sparta. When I was repairing Festus last night, I found all kinds of buttons. Some, you do not want to know what they do. But others... Ah, here we go." Leo hooked his fingers behind the dragon's left foreleg. He pulled a switch, and the dragon shuddered from head to toe. Everyone backed away as Festus folded like origami. "Ta-da!" he announced. "The world's heaviest carry-on bag!"

"That's impossible," Lena said. "Something that big couldn't—"

"Stop!" Zethes ordered. He and Cal both drew their swords and glared at Leo.

Leo raised his hands. "Okay... what'd I do? Stay calm, guys. If it bothers you that much, I don't have to take the dragon as carry-on—"

"Who are you?" Zethes shoved the point of his sword against Leo's chest. "A child of the South Wind, spying on us?"

"What? No, never!" Leo said. "Son of Hephaestus. Friendly blacksmith, no harm to anyone!"

Cal growled. "Smell fire," he said. "Fire is bad."

"Oh." Leo's heart raced.

"We can smell fire, demigod," said Zethes. "We assumed it was from the creaky dragon, but now the dragon is a suitcase. And I still smell fire... on you."

Lena already had her gold coin in her hand. She stepped forward, her eyes on Zethes. "Look, there's been a mistake. Leo isn't a fire guy. Tell them, Leo."

"Um..."

"Zethes?" Piper tried her dazzling smile again. "We're all friends here. Put down your swords and let's talk."

"The girl is pretty," Zethes admitted, "and of course she cannot help being attracted to my amazingness; but sadly, I cannot romance her at this time." He poked his sword point farther into Leo's chest, and Leo could feel the frost spreading across his shirt, turning his skin numb.

"Destroy him now?" Cal asked his brother.

"No," Lena insisted. "Leo's just a son of Hephaestus. He's no threat. Piper here is a daughter of Aphrodite. I'm the daughter of Zeus. We're on a peaceful..." her voice faltered, because both Boreads had suddenly turned on her.

"What did you say?" Zethes demanded. "You are the daughter of Zeus?"

"Uh... yeah," she said. "That's a good thing, right? My name is Lena."

Cal looked so surprised, he almost dropped his sword.

"Child of sky and storm..." Zethes muttered. He stepped forward and squinted at Lena's face. "If you are a child of Zeus, you could be the one we've been watching for."

"Watching for?" Leo asked. "You mean like in a good way: you'll shower her with fabulous prizes? Or watching for like in a bad way: she's in trouble?"

A girl's voice said, "That depends on my father's will."

Leo looked up the staircase. His heart nearly stopped. At the top stood a girl in a white silk dress. Her skin was unnaturally pale, the color of snow, but her hair was a lush mane of black, and her eyes were coffee brown.

"We get to meet Elsa!" he told the others.

"Father will want to see the child of sky and storm," the girl said.

"Then it is her?" Zethes asked excitedly.

"We'll see," the girl said. "Zethes, bring our guests."

Leo grabbed the handle of his bronze dragon suitcase. Before he could take a step, however, Elsa froze him with a look. "Not you, Leo Valdez," she said.

"How do you know my name, Elsa? And why can't I go?" He probably sounded like a whiny kindergartner, but he couldn't help it.

"You cannot be in the presence of my father," the girl said. "Fire and ice; it would not be wise."

"We're going together," Lena insisted, putting her hand on Leo's shoulder, "or not at all."

The girl tilted her head, like she wasn't used to people refusing her orders. "He will not be harmed, Lena Grace, unless you make trouble. Calais, keep Leo Valdez here. Guard him, but do not kill him."

Cal pouted. "Just a little?"

"No," the girl insisted. "And take care of his interesting suitcase, until Father passes judgment."

Lena and Piper looked at Leo. He sighed. "It's fine, ladies," he said. "No sense causing trouble if we don't have to. You go with Elsa. Take a picture if you see Anna. She was always my favorite."

"Leo Valdez will be perfectly safe," Elsa said. "I wish I could say the same for you, daughter of Zeus. Now come, King Boreas is waiting."

* * *

Every once in awhile the ice princess would turn and give Lena a smile, but there was no warmth in her expression. Without thinking about it, Lena took Piper's hand for reassurance.

She raised her eyebrows, but she didn't let go. "It'll be fine," she promised. "Just a talk, right?"

At the top of the stairs, the ice princess looked back and noticed them holding hands. Her smile faded. Suddenly Lena's hand in Piper's turned ice cold, burning cold. Lena let go, and her fingers were smoking with frost. So were Piper's.

"Warmth is not a good idea here," the princess advised, "especially when I am your best chance of staying alive. Please, this way."

Piper gave Lena a nervous frown. Lena was grateful for Piper. She needed a friend. She was also glad she'd started losing the Aphrodite blessing. Slowly, Piper was starting to look... well, human again. The makeup was fading. Her hair was slowly going back to its old choppy style with the little braids down the sides. It made her look more real, and perhaps also more beautiful.

At the end of the hallway they found themselves in front of a set of oaken doors carved with a map of the world. "This is the throne room," the ice princess said. "Be on your best behavior, Lena Grace. My father can be... chilly. I will translate for you, and try to encourage him to hear you out. I do hope he spares you. We could have such fun."

"Um, okay," Lena managed. "But really, we're just here for a little talk. We'll be leaving right afterward."

The girl smiled. "I love heroes. So blissfully ignorant."

Piper rested her hand on her dagger. "What's your name again?"

The girl sniffed with distaste. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you don't recognize me. Even in the ancient times the Greeks did not know me well. Their island homes were too warm, too far from my domain. I am Khione, daughter of Boreas, goddess of snow. Now, come." The oaken doors blew open, and cold blue light spilled out of the room. "Hopefully you will survive your little talk."


	15. Quebec & Detroit

Act I - **To The World Of Skies**

Part IX - _Hearts ablaze banners high, we go marching into battle, unafraid although the danger's just increased._

* * *

Mist hung in the air. Lena shivered, her breath steamed and she stopped walking for a second, trying to find something warm inside of herself. Zethes prodded her in the back with his sword. "Keep moving, child of sky and storm. Father is not a patient man."

They kept walking, and the mist parted to reveal a man on an ice throne. He was sturdily built. His long hair and shaggy beard were encrusted with icicles, and his eyes twinkled more warmly than his daughter's. _"Bienvenu,"_ the king said. _"Je suis Boreas le Roi. Et vous?"_

Khione the snow goddess was about to speak, but Piper stepped forward and curtsied. _"Votre Majesté,"_ she said, _"je suis Piper McLean. Et c'est Lena, fille de Zeus."_

The king smiled with pleasant surprise. _"Très bien!"_

Piper frowned and looked at Lena. "Did I just speak French?"

Lena nodded.

The king said something else, and Piper nodded. _"Oui, Votre Majesté."_

The king laughed and clapped his hands, obviously delighted. He said a few more sentences then swept his hand toward his daughter as if shooing her away.

Khione looked miffed. "The king says—"

"He says I'm a daughter of Aphrodite," Piper interrupted, "so naturally I can speak French, which is the language of love. I had no idea. His Majesty says Khione won't have to translate now."

Behind them, Zethes snorted, and Khione shot him a murderous look. She bowed stiffly to her father and took a step back. The king sized up Lena, and Lena decided it would be a good idea to bow. The king said something else, and Piper turned pale.

"The king says..." She faltered. "He says..."

"Oh, allow me," Khione said. "My father says he has orders to kill you."

Lena tensed. The king was still smiling amiably, like he'd just delivered great news. "Kill us?" Lena said. "Why?"

"Because," the king said, in heavily accented English, "my lord Aeolus has commanded it." Boreas rose. "I shall deign to speak your language as Piper McLean has honored me in mine. _Toujours,_ I have had a fondness for the children of Aphrodite. As for you, Lena Grace, my master Aeolus would not expect me to kill a daughter of Lord Zeus... without first hearing you out."

"Why would the master of the winds want us dead?"

"You are demigods," Boreas said, as if this explained everything. "Aeolus's job is to contain the winds, and demigods have always caused him many headaches. They ask him for favors. They unleash winds and cause chaos. But the final insult was the battle with Typhon last summer... The first time the gods defeated him, eons ago, he did not die quietly. His death released a host of storm spirits, wild winds that answered to no one. It was Aeolus's job to track them all down and imprison them in his fortress. The other gods did not help. They did not even apologize for the inconvenience. It took Aeolus centuries to track down all the storm spirits, and naturally this irritated him. Then, last summer, Typhon was defeated again—"

"And his death released another wave of _venti_ ," Lena guessed. "Which made Aeolus even angrier."

 _"C'est vrai,"_ Boreas agreed.

"But, Your Majesty," Piper said, "the gods had no choice but to battle Typhon. He was going to destroy Olympus! Besides, why punish demigods for that?"

The king shrugged. "Aeolus cannot take out his anger on the gods. They are his bosses, and very powerful. So he gets even with the demigods who helped them in the war. He issued orders to us: demigods who come to us for aid are no longer to be tolerated. We are to crush your little mortal faces." There was an uncomfortable silence.

"That sounds... extreme," Lena ventured. "But you're not going to crush our faces yet, right? You're going to listen to us first, 'cause once you hear about our quest—"

"Yes, yes," the king agreed. "You see, Aeolus also said that a daughter of Zeus might seek my aid, and if this happened, I should listen to you before destroying you, as you might... how did he put it?... make all our lives very interesting. I am only obligated to listen, however. After that, I am free to pass judgment as I see fit."

Lena felt like she could almost breathe again. "Great. Thanks."

"Do not thank me." Boreas smiled. "There are many ways you could make our lives interesting. Sometimes we keep demigods for our amusement, as you can see." He gestured around the room to the various ice statues.

Piper made a strangled noise. "You mean... they're all demigods? Frozen demigods? They're alive?"

"An interesting question," Boreas conceded, as if it had never occurred to him before. Then he shrugged. "Now, please, Lena Grace, entertain us."

Khione whispered something and stroked Lena's neck. Lena didn't plan it, but electricity sparked along her skin. There was loud _pop_ , and Khione flew backward, skidding across the floor.

Zethes laughed. For a moment, Khione was too stunned to react. Then the air around her began to swirl with a micro-blizzard. "You dare—"

"Stop," Lena ordered, with as much force as she could muster. "You're not going to kill us. And you're not going to keep us. We're on a quest for the queen of the gods herself, so unless you want Hera busting down your doors, you're going to let us go." She sounded a lot more confident than she felt.

"Hmm," Boreas said. "A daughter of Zeus, favored by Hera? This is definitely a first. Tell us your story."

"Your Majesty." Piper smiled brightly and told Boreas the whole story. "All we ask for is guidance. These storm spirits attacked us, and they're working for some evil mistress. If we find them, maybe we can find Hera."

"I know of these storm spirits," Boreas said. "I know where they are kept, and of the prisoner they took."

"You mean Coach Hedge?" Lena asked. "He's alive?"

Boreas waved aside the question. "For now. But the one who controls these storm winds... It would be madness to oppose her."

"Hera's in trouble," Lena said. "In a few days she's going to be... I don't know... consumed, destroyed, something. And a giant is going to rise."

"Yes," Boreas agreed. "Many horrible things are waking. The Great Stirring of monsters that began with Kronos... The final battle is yet to come, and the one who will wake is more terrible than any Titan. Storm spirits... these are only beginning. The earth has many more horrors to yield up. When monsters no longer stay in Tartarus, and souls are no longer confined to Hades... Olympus has good reason to fear."

"So you'll help us?" Lena asked the king.

Boreas scowled. "I did not say that."

"Please, Your Majesty," Piper said. Everyone's eyes turned toward her. She had to be scared out of her mind, but she looked beautiful and confident. "If you tell us where the storm spirits are, we can capture them and bring them to Aeolus. You'd look good in front of your boss. Aeolus might pardon us and the other demigods. We could even rescue Gleeson Hedge. Everyone wins."

"She's pretty," Zethes mumbled. "I mean, she's right."

"Father, don't listen to her," Khione said. "She's a child of Aphrodite. She dares to charmspeak a god? Freeze her now!"

Boreas considered this. Lena slipped her hand in her pocket and got ready to bring out the gold coin. The movement caught Boreas's eye. "What is that on your forearm, demigoddess?"

Lena hadn't realized her coat sleeve had gotten pushed up, revealing the edge of her tattoo. Reluctantly, she showed Boreas her marks. The god's eyes widened. Khione actually hissed and stepped away.

Then Boreas did something unexpected. He laughed so loudly, an icicle cracked from the ceiling and crashed next to his throne. The god's form began to flicker and he revealed his Roman form.

"Aquilon," Lena said.

The god inclined his head. "You recognize me better in this form, yes? And Hera sent you there… I understand now. Oh, she plays a dangerous game. No wonder Olympus is closed. They must be trembling at the gamble she has taken. This should be very interesting to watch. I suppose there is no reason for me to kill you. If Hera's plan fails, which I think it will, you will tear each other apart. Aeolus will never have to worry about demigods again."

"I don't suppose you could explain?" Lena asked.

"Oh, perish the thought! It is not for me to interfere in Hera's plan. You know, I have a reputation as a helpful wind god. I sit here in my palace, at the edge of civilization, and so rarely have amusements. Now have a chance to be the center. Oh, yes, I will let you go on this quest. You will find your storm spirits in the windy city, of course. Chicago. If you can capture the winds, you may be able to gain safe entrance to the court of Aeolus. If by some miracle you succeed, be sure to tell him you captured the winds on my orders."

"Okay, sure," Lena said. "So Chicago is where we'll find this lady who's controlling the winds? She's the one who's trapped Hera?"

"Ah." Boreas grinned. "Those are two different questions, daughter of Jupiter. The one who controls the winds, yes, you will find her in Chicago. But she is only a servant. If you succeed against her and take the winds, then you may go to Aeolus. Only he has knowledge of all the winds on the earth. All secrets come to his fortress eventually. If anyone can tell you where Hera is imprisoned, it is Aeolus."

"Father," Khione protested, "you can't simply let them—"

"I can do what I like," he said, his voice hardening. "I am still master here, am I not?"

Khione's eyes flashed with anger, but she clenched her teeth. "As you wish, Father."

"Now go, demigods," Boreas said, "before I change my mind. Zethes, escort them out safely."

They all bowed, and the god of the North Wind dissolved into mist. Back in the entry hall, Cal and Leo were waiting for them. Festus the dragon was back in normal form, snorting fire over his scales to keep himself defrosted.

"Come on, guys," Lena said to Piper and Leo. "Let's go to Chicago."

* * *

In her dream, Piper was back on the mountaintop. It was a regular dream by now, familiar. It would be comforting if it weren't so terrifying. A voice from the dark rumbled, _"You forget your duty."_

Piper couldn't see him, but it was definitely the giant who'd been terrorizing her dreams for the last three days, the one who called himself Enceladus. She looked around for any sign of her father, but the pole where he'd been chained was no longer there.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

 _"His body is safe enough, though I fear the poor man's mind can't take much more of my company. You must hurry, girl, or I fear there will be little left of him to save. Show me you value your father's life by doing what I ask. Who's more important, your father, or a deceitful goddess who used you, toyed with your emotions, manipulated your memories, eh? What is Hera to you?"_

"You're asking me to betray my friends."

 _"Yes, Piper. Lead your friends here instead of their true destination, and I will deal with them. That way, you may collect your father and go in peace."_

"I can't."

 _"Can't betray that foolish boy who's hiding secrets from you? To give up a romance you never really had? Is that more important than your own father?"_

The dream dissolved. And Piper woke up screaming, free-falling through the air. A body shot past her: Leo, screaming and frantically grabbing at the clouds. Then Lena was there, wrapping her arms around Piper's waist.

"We have to get Leo!" she shouted.

Their fall slowed as Lena controlled the winds, but they still lurched up and down like the winds didn't want to cooperate.

"Hold on!"

Piper locked her arms around Lena, and she shot toward the ground. Piper probably screamed, but the sound was ripped from her mouth. Her vision blurred. And then, _thump!_ They slammed into another warm body: Leo, still wriggling and cursing. Then they heard an explosion below them and Leo shouted: "Festus!"

Lena's face reddened with strain as she tried to maintain an air cushion beneath them. They were still high enough so that hitting the ground would flatten them into roadkill when Lena groaned, "I can't—" And they dropped like stones.

They hit the roof of the largest warehouse and crashed through into darkness. Unfortunately, Piper tried to land on her feet. Pain flared in her left ankle as she crumpled against a cold metal surface. For a few seconds she wasn't conscious of anything but pain; pain so bad that her ears rang and her vision went red.

Then she heard Lena's voice somewhere below, echoing through the building. "Piper! Where are you?"

"Ow, man!" Leo groaned. "That's my back! I'm not a sofa!"

"Here," Piper managed, her voice a whimper. She heard shuffling and grunting, then feet pounding on metal steps. Her vision began to clear. She looked at her foot, and wave of nausea swept over her. _Oh, gods._ She forced herself to look away before she threw up.

Lena and Leo reached her side. Leo started to ask, "You okay...?" Then he saw her foot. "Oh, you're not."

"Thanks for the reassurance," Piper groaned.

"You'll be fine," Lena said, though Piper could hear the worry in her voice. "Leo, you got any first aid supplies?"

"Yeah—yeah, sure." He dug around in his tool belt and pulled out a wad of gauze and a roll of duct tape, both of which seemed too big for the belt's pockets.

"How did you...?" Piper tried to sit up, and winced. "How did pull that stuff from an empty belt?"

"Magic," Leo said. "Haven't figure it out completely, but I can summon just about any regular tool out of the pockets, plus some other helpful stuff." He reached into another pocket and pulled out a little tin box. "Breath mint?"

Lena snatched away the mints. "That's great, Leo. Now, can you fix her foot?"

"I'm a mechanic, man. If she was a car..." He snapped his fingers. "Wait, what was that godly healing stuff they fed you at camp... Rambo food?"

"Ambrosia, dummy," Piper said through gritted teeth. "There should be some in my bag, if it's not crushed."

Lena carefully pulled her backpack off her shoulders. She rummaged through the supplies and found a Ziploc full of smashed pastry squares like lemon bars. She broke off a piece and fed it to Piper. The taste was nothing like she expected. The pain in her ankle subsided. "More," she said.

Lena frowned. "Piper, we shouldn't risk it. They said too much could burn you up. I think I should try to set your foot."

Piper's stomach fluttered. "Have you ever done that before?"

"Yeah... I think so."

Leo found an old piece of wood and broke it in half for a splint. Then he got the gauze and duct tape ready.

"Hold her leg still," Lena told him. "Piper, this is going to hurt." When Lena set the foot, Piper flinched so hard she punched Leo in the arm, and he yelled almost as much as she did. When her vision cleared and she could breathe normally again, she found that her foot was pointing the right way, her ankle splinted with plywood, gauze, and duct tape.

"Jeez," Leo rubbed his arm. "Glad my face wasn't there."

"Sorry," she said. "What happened to the dragon? Where are we?"

Leo's expression turned sullen. "I don't know what happened with Festus. He just jerked sideways like he hit an invisible wall and started to fall. As far as where we are... Closed car plant. I'm guessing we crash-landed in Detroit."

"How far is that from Chicago?"

"Maybe three-fourths of the way from Quebec," said Lena. "The thing is, without the dragon, we're stuck traveling overland."

"No way," Leo said. "It isn't safe."

"He's right," Piper said. "Besides, I don't know if I can walk. And three people... Lena you can't fly that many across country by yourself."

"Maybe you could fix Festus again?" Lena asked Leo.

"I don't know." He sounded crestfallen. He pulled a few screws out of his pockets and started fiddling with them. "I'd have to find where he landed, if he's even in one piece." Leo stood. "Look, um, Lena, why don't you stay with Piper? I'll scout around for Festus. I think he fell outside the warehouse somewhere. If I can find him, maybe I can figure out what happened and fix him."

"It's too dangerous," Lena said. "You shouldn't go by yourself."

"Ah, I got duct tape and breath mints. I'll be fine," Leo said. "You guys just don't run off without me." He reached into his magic tool belt, pulled out a flashlight, and headed down the stairs, leaving Piper and Lena alone.

Lena looked kind of nervous. It was the exact expression she'd had on her face after she'd kissed Piper the first time; the kiss that had never really happened. "You look better," she offered.

"You did a good job," Piper told her. "Where'd you learn first aid?"

She shrugged. "Same answer as always. I don't know."

"But you're starting to have some memories back, aren't you? Like that prophecy in Latin back at camp, or that dream about the wolf."

"It's instinct," Lena said. "Like déjà vu. Ever forgotten a word or a name, and you know it should be on the tip of your tongue, but it isn't? It's like that... only with my whole life. And now... I'm not sure I want to find out the truth. Is that crazy?"

"No," Piper said. "Not at all. And Lena," she hesitated. "Speaking of the truth, I need to tell you something... something about my dad..."

She didn't get the chance. Somewhere below, metal clanged against metal, like a door slamming shut. The sound echoed through the warehouse. Lena stood. She took out her coin and flipped it, snatching her golden sword out of the air. She peered over the railing. "Leo?"

No answer.

Lena crouched next to Piper. "I don't like this."

"He could be in trouble," Piper said. "Go check."

"I can't leave you alone."

"I'll be fine." She felt terrified, but she wasn't about to admit it. She drew Katoptris and tried to look confident. "Anyone gets close, I'll skewer them."

Lena hesitated. "If I'm not back in five minutes—"

"Panic?" she suggested.

Lena managed a smile. "Glad you're back to normal. The makeup and the dress were a lot more intimidating than the dagger." Lena made her way to the stairs and disappeared into the dark. The echo died. Piper's heart pounded, but she didn't call out. Her instincts told her it might not be a good idea. Her hand went to her backpack. She took out the ambrosia squares. _Boom_. The sound was closer this time, directly below her. She dug out a whole square of ambrosia and stuffed it in her mouth. Her heart raced faster. Her skin felt feverish.

Hesitantly, she flexed her ankle against the splint. No pain, no stiffness at all. She cut through the duct tape and heard heavy steps on the stairs, like metal boots. Gripping her dagger, Piper called out, "Lena?"

"Yeah," she said from the darkness. "On my way up."

Definitely Lena's voice. With effort, Piper got to her feet. The steps came closer.

"It's okay," Lena's voice promised.

At the top of the stairs, a face appeared out of the darkness: a hideous black grin, a smashed nose, and a single bloodshot eye in the middle of his forehead.

"It's fine," the Cyclops said, in a perfect imitation of Lena's voice. "You're just in time for dinner."


	16. Willing & Brave

Act II - **From The Sea We Rise**

Part VII - _You can lie to yourself and your minions, you can claim that you haven't a qualm, but you never can run from nor hide what you've done..._

* * *

Hazel got seasick so easily, it was more like sea plague. She hadn't mentioned this to Andy though. She didn't want to mess up the quest.

As soon as they left the dock, Hazel's stomach started to churn. By the time they passed the piers along the San Francisco Embarcadero, she felt so woozy she thought she was hallucinating. She swore she saw an old homeless guy sitting among them. From across the water, he pointed a bony finger at Andy and mouthed something like – _Don't even think about it._

"Did you see that?" Hazel asked.

Andy's face was red in the sunset. "Yeah. I've been here before. I – I don't know. I think I was looking for Anthony."

"You mean, on your way to Camp Jupiter?" Frank asked.

Andy frowned. "No. Before that." She scanned the city like she was _still_ looking for Anthony.

The boat shuddered. They entered the Pacific currents and skirted the rocky coastline of Marin County.

"You okay?" Frank asked. "You look queasy."

"Seasickness," she confessed. "I didn't think it would be this bad."

Frank pouted like it was somehow his fault. He started digging in his pack. "I've got some nectar. And some crackers. Um, my grandmother says ginger helps... I don't have any of that, but—"

"It's okay." Hazel mustered a smile. "That's sweet of you, though."

Frank pulled out a saltine. It snapped in his big fingers. Cracker exploded everywhere.

Hazel laughed. "Gods, Frank... Sorry. I shouldn't laugh."

"Uh, no problem," he said sheepishly. "Guess you don't want that one."

Andy wasn't paying much attention. She kept her eyes fixed on the shoreline. As they passed Stinson Beach, she pointed inland, where a single mountain rose above the green hills. "That looks familiar," she said.

"Mount Tam," Frank said. "Kids at camp are always talking about it. Big battle happened on the summit, at the old Titan base."

Andy frowned. "Were either of you there?"

"No," Hazel said. "That was back in August, before I... um, before I got to camp. Lena told me about it. The legion destroyed the enemy's palace and about a million monsters. Lena had to battle Krios—hand-to-hand combat with a Titan, if you can imagine."

"I can imagine," Andy muttered.

Hazel wasn't sure what she meant, but Andy did remind her of Lena, even though they looked nothing alike. They had the same aura of quiet power, plus a kind of sadness, like they'd seen their destiny and knew it was only a matter of time before they met a monster they couldn't beat.

Hazel thought about her first death, and the months leading up to it—her house in Seward, the six months she'd spent in Alaska, taking that little boat into Resurrection Bay at night, visiting that cursed island. She realized her mistake too late. Her vision went black, and she slipped back in time.

Her mother was rarely home. She didn't go by Queen Marie anymore. She was just Marie, the hired help. But at night, Marie Levesque would transform. The Voice took over, giving Hazel orders, putting her to work on their horrible project.

Sometimes she thought about her father— Pluto had warned her mother about Alaska. It was a land beyond the gods. He couldn't protect them here.

She got home late. But her mother wasn't there. For a moment she was relieved. Then she saw the wreckage. Her storage chest was open and her few clothes strewn across the floor. Her mattress had been shredded as if a lion had attacked it. Worst of all, her drawing pad was ripped to pieces. Her colored pencils were all broken. Pinned to the wall was a note in red – _Wicked girl. I'm waiting at the island._

She took the rowboat and rowed it toward the bay's mouth. After several minutes, she turned and looked ahead. Right in front of her, out of the fog, the island materialized—an acre of pine trees, boulders, and snow with a black sand beach. At the center of the island, two massive black boulders formed the entrance to a tunnel. Hazel made her way into the cavern she called the Heart of the Earth.

This place was alive. The earth was asleep, but it pulsated with power. Its dreams were so malicious, so fitful, that Hazel felt herself losing her grip on reality. Gaea wanted to consume her identity, just as she'd overwhelmed Hazel's mother. She wanted to consume every human, god, and demigod that dared to walk across her surface.

Marie Levesque stood over the pit. "It's too late," she said. She was awake and conscious. "What have I done?" her mother asked helplessly. "Oh, Hazel, what did I do to you?" Her mother fell to her knees and wept. "I'm sorry, Hazel. I'm so sorry." She looked helpless and alone, horribly sad.

Hazel knelt and put her arm around her mother. There was hardly anything left of her—just skin and bones and stained work clothes. Even in the warm cave, she was trembling. "What can we do?" Hazel said. "Tell me how to stop it."

Her mother shook her head. "She let me go. She knows it's too late. There's nothing we can do. There's only one more thing she needs from me. For that, she needs my free will." She looked at Hazel so tenderly... "Pluto warned me," her mother said. "He told me my wish was too dangerous."

"Your—your wish?"

"All the wealth under the earth," she said. "He controlled it. I wanted it. I was so tired of being poor, Hazel. So tired. First I summoned him – just to see if I could. I never thought the old _gris-gris_ spell would work on a god. But he courted me, told me I was brave and beautiful... When you were born, he was so pleased and proud. He promised me anything. He swore on the River Styx. I asked for all the riches he had. He warned me the greediest wishes cause the greatest sorrows. But I insisted. I imagined living like a queen—the wife of a god! And you – you received the curse. That's why you can find things under the earth and why they bring only sorrow." Her mother gestured listlessly around the cavern. "That's how she found me, how she was able to control me. I was angry with your father. I blamed him for my problems. I blamed you. I was so bitter, I listened to Gaea's voice. I was a fool. I'm sorry, Hazel. If you can forgive me, please—know that it was only because I loved you. She promised to let you go if I-"

Hazel summoned the last of her willpower. Jewels and chunks of gold shot from the fissure with such force, they cracked the cavern walls and sent shrapnel flying. The fissure exploded. The roof crumbled. Hazel sank into her mother's arms, into the darkness, as oil filled her lungs and the island collapsed into the bay.

"HAZEL!" Frank shook her arms, sounding panicked. "Come on, please! Wake up!"

She opened her eyes. She was lying on solid ground. She sat up groggily, her head spinning. "Where are we?" she asked.

Frank exhaled. "Thank the gods you're awake! We're in Mendocino, about a hundred and fifty miles north of the Golden Gate."

"A hundred and fifty miles?" Hazel groaned. "I've been out that long?"

Andy knelt beside her, the sea wind sweeping her hair. "We couldn't wake you. Finally we decided to bring you ashore. We thought maybe the seasickness—"

"It wasn't seasickness." She took a deep breath. "I—I haven't been honest with you," she said. "What happened was a blackout. I have them once in a while."

"A blackout?" Frank took Hazel's hand, which startled her, though pleasantly so. "Is it medical? Why haven't I noticed before?"

"I try to hide it," she admitted. "I've been lucky so far, but it's getting worse. It's not medical – not really. Nico says it's a side effect from my past, from where he found me."

"Where exactly did Nico find you?" Andy asked.

"I'll explain," Hazel promised. "Is – is there anything to drink?"

"Yeah." Andy muttered a curse in Greek. "That was dumb. I left my supplies down at the boat. I'll go get it." Andy glanced at Frank's hand on Hazel's. "You two stay here. I'll be right back."

"You sure?" Hazel said feebly. "I don't want you to—"

"It's fine," said Andy. "Frank, just keep your eyes open. Something about this place – I don't know."

"I'll keep her safe," Frank promised.

Andy dashed off.

Once they were alone, Frank seemed to realize he was still holding Hazel's hand. He cleared his throat and let go. "I, um... I think I understand your blackouts," he said. "And where you come from."

Her heartbeat stumbled. "You do?"

"You seem so different from other girls I've met." He blinked, then rushed on. "Not like... bad different. Just the way you talk. The things that surprise you... like songs, or TV shows, or slang people use. You talk about your life like it happened a long time ago. You were born in a different time, weren't you? You came from the Underworld." Frank didn't act revolted or scared. He didn't look at her as if she were a ghost or some awful undead zombie.

"Frank, I—"

"We'll figure it out," he promised. "You're alive now. We're going to keep you that way."

"I don't deserve a friend like you," she said. "You don't know what I am... what I've done."

"Stop that." Frank scowled. "You're great! Besides, you're not the only one with secrets."

Hazel stared at him. "I'm not?"

Frank started to say something. Then he tensed.

"What?" Hazel asked.

"The wind's stopped."

She looked around and noticed he was right. The air had become perfectly still. "So?" she asked.

Frank swallowed. "So why is the grass still moving?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Hazel saw dark shapes ripple through the field. "Hazel!" Frank tried to grab her arms, but it was too late. Something knocked him backward. Then a force like a grassy hurricane wrapped around Hazel and dragged her into the fields.

She couldn't sit up. She couldn't touch the ground. She couldn't reach her sword. The plants kept her off balance, tossing her around, slicing her face and arms. Frank's shouting faded into the distance.

Hazel closed her eyes and tried to ignore the tumbling and tossing. She sent her thoughts into the earth below her. Gold, silver, she'd settle for anything that might disrupt her kidnappers. She felt nothing. Riches under the earth: zero.

Suddenly the ground rumbled. The swirl of plants released her and she was thrown upward like a catapult projectile. She twisted her body in midair. Then she was falling. Her combat training kicked in. She tucked into a roll, turned the impact into a somersault, and came up standing.

She drew her sword. The grass rippled around it. Angry voices hissed in dismay at the massive clump of stone that had broken their progress. Before they could regroup, Hazel ran to the rock and clambered to the top.

"Can't grow on this, can you?" she yelled. "Go away, you bunch of weeds! Leave me alone!"

A dozen chubby little Cupid babies materialized. As they stepped closer, Hazel realized they were neither cute nor angelic. They were the size of toddlers, with rolls of baby fat, but their skin had a strange greenish hue. They had dry, brittle wings like corn-husks, and tufts of white hair like corn silk. Their faces were haggard, pitted with kernels of grain. Their eyes were solid green, and their teeth were canine fangs.

The largest creature stepped forward. He hissed at Hazel. "You summoned the greenstone!" the creature yelled. "Nasty rock." They circled the rock, making no effort to climb it—at least not yet.

"You're Gaea's servants," she guessed, just to keep them talking.

"We are the _karpoi_ , spirits of the grain. Children of the Earth Mother, yes! We have been her attendants since forever. Before nasty humans cultivated us, we were wild. We will be again. Wheat will destroy all!"

"No, sorghum will rule!"

"Barley shall dominate!"

"Come down from your schist, demigod. We must take you to our mistress's army. They will reward us. They will kill you slowly!"

"Tempting," Hazel said, "but no thanks. Um, explain something to me, would you? If you're grain spirits, shouldn't you be on the gods' side? Isn't the goddess of agriculture Ceres—"

"Evil name! Cultivates us! Makes us grow in disgusting rows. Lets humans harvest us. Pah! When Gaea is mistress of the world again, we will grow wild, yes!"

"Well, naturally," Hazel said. "So this army of hers, where you're taking me in exchange for wheat—"

"Or barley."

"Yeah," Hazel agreed. "This army is where, now?"

"Just over the ridge! The Earth Mother—oh, yes!—she told us: _'Look for the daughter of Pluto who lives again. Find her! Bring her alive! I have many tortures planned for her.'_ The giant Polybotes will reward us for your life! Then we will march south to destroy the Romans. We can't be killed, you know. But you can, yes."

"So you... you can't be killed because Alcyoneus has captured Death, is that it?"

"Exactly!"

"And he's keeping him chained in Alaska," Hazel said, "at – let's see, what's the name of that place?"

"Oh, clever demigod. Trying to trick us into giving secrets. No, you'll never find the lair of Alcyoneus."

"I already know where it is," she said with false confidence. "He's on the island in Resurrection Bay."

"Ha!" one of them sneered. "That place sank beneath the waves long ago. You should know that! Gaea hates you for it. When you thwarted her plans, she was forced to sleep again. Decades and decades! Alcyoneus... not until the dark times was he able to rise. Our mistress still sleeps. Alcyoneus was forced to bide his time in the north, waiting, planning. Only now does Gaea begin to stir. Oh, but she remembers you, and so does her son! You will never find the prison of Thanatos. All of Alaska is the giant's home. He could be keeping Death anywhere! Years it would take you to find him, and your poor camp has only days. Better you surrender. We will give you grain. So much grain."

Hazel gripped her _spatha_. "If I have to destroy you all, I will. I am the daughter of Pluto!"

Then Frank and Andy burst into the open and began to massacre every source of fiber they could find. Frank shot arrows and Andy slashed Riptide. Hazel jumped down and joined the fight. Within minutes, the _karpoi_ had been reduced to piles of seeds and various breakfast cereals. Some started to re-form, but Andy pulled a lighter from her pack and sparked a flame.

"Try it," she warned, "and I'll set this whole field on fire. Stay dead. Stay away from us, or the grass gets it!"

Frank winced like the flame terrified him. Hazel didn't understand why, but she shouted at the grain piles anyway: "She'll do it! She's crazy!" The remnants of the _karpoi_ scattered in the wind. Frank climbed the rock and watched them go.

Andy extinguished her lighter and grinned at Hazel. "How'd you hold them off so long?"

She pointed to the rock. "A big pile of schist."

"Whoa. Excuse me, little lady?"

"Guys," Frank called from the top of the rock. "You need to see this."

Andy and Hazel climbed up to join him. As soon as Hazel saw what he was looking at, she inhaled sharply. "Andy, no light! Put up your sword!"

"Shit indeed!" Andy touched the sword tip, and Riptide shrank back into a pen.

Down below them, an army was on the move. The field dropped into a shallow ravine full of monsters—column after column marching south, so many and so close.

Hazel, Frank, and Andy crouched against the rock. They watched in disbelief as several dozen large, hairy humanoids passed by, dressed in tattered bits of armor and animal fur. The creatures had six arms each, three sprouting on either side, so they looked like cavemen evolved from insects.

 _"Gegenes,"_ Hazel whispered. "The Earthborn."

"You've fought them before?" Andy asked.

She shook her head. "Just heard about them in monster class at camp. The Earthborn fought the Argonauts," she murmured. "And those things behind them—"

"Centaurs," Andy said. "But – that's not right. Centaurs are good guys."

Frank made a choking sound. "That's not what we were taught at camp. Centaurs are crazy, always getting drunk and killing heroes."

Andy gazed farther down the road and her face went slack. "My gods – Cyclopes." She pressed the sides of her head. "Cyclopes. Centaurs. This is wrong. All wrong."

The monster army was enough to make anyone despair, but Hazel realized that something else was going on with Andy. She looked pale and sickly in the moonlight, as if her memories were trying to come back, scrambling her mind in the process.

Hazel glanced at Frank. "We need to get Andy back to the boat. The sea will make her feel better."

"No argument," Frank said. "There are too many of them. The camp... we have to warn the camp."

"They know," Andy groaned. "Reyna knows."

A lump formed in Hazel's throat. There was no way the legion could fight so many. "Come on," she urged. "Let's-" Then she saw the giant. He was taller than the siege tower with scaly reptilian legs like a Komodo dragon from the waist down and green-blue armor from the waist up. His face was human, but his hair was wild and green, like a mop of seaweed. He was armed with a massive trident and a weighted net.

"Who is he?" Frank's voice quivered. "That's not—"

"Not Alcyoneus," Hazel said weakly. "One of his brothers, I think. That's Polybotes." She wasn't sure how she knew, but she could feel the giant's aura of power even from here.

"Sea god," the giant muttered. To Hazel's horror, he turned in their direction. "I smell sea god."

Andy was shaking. Hazel put her hand on Andy's shoulder and tried to press her flat against the rock.

A lady Cyclops snarled. "Of course you smell sea god! The sea is right over there!"

"More than that," Polybotes insisted. "I was born to destroy Neptune. I can sense-" He frowned and seemed to change his mind. Polybotes growled. "Very well. March! March!"

They marched south. Gradually, the last column of monsters passed over the hills and disappeared into the night. Hazel, Frank, and Andy were left alone in the dark.

Andy shuddered violently. Hazel knew she needed help, or rest, or something. Seeing that army seemed to have triggered some kind of memory, leaving Andy shell-shocked.

"Let's go to the store," Hazel said.

"But there's a bunch of snake things guarding the hill now," Frank said.

They both looked at Andy, who was shaking like she had hypothermia.

"We've got to try," Hazel said and Frank nodded grimly.


	17. The Trick Master

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part X — _When life gets rough I like to hold onto my dreams of relaxing in the summer sun, just letting off steam..._

* * *

So Festus landed on the toilets. Of all the places to crash, Festus had flattened a dozen of blue plastic boxes that had been set up in the factory yard. There were some pretty gross chemicals leaking out of the wreckage. Leo had to pick his way through and try not to breathe through his nose.

After a few minutes climbing over Festus's inanimate body, Leo started to get irritated. The dragon looked perfectly fine. Yes, it had fallen out of the sky and landed with a big _ka-boom_ , but its body wasn't even dented. The fireball had apparently come from built up gasses inside the toilet units, not from the dragon itself. Festus's wings were intact. Nothing seemed broken. There was no reason it should have stopped.

"Not my fault," he muttered. "Festus, you're making me look bad." Then he opened the control panel on the dragon's head, and Leo's heart sank. "Oh, Festus, what the heck?"

The wiring had frozen over. Leo knew it had been okay yesterday. He'd worked so hard to repair the corroded lines, but something had caused a flash freeze inside the dragon's skull, where it should've been too hot for ice to form. The ice had caused the wiring to overload and char the control disk. Leo couldn't see any reason that would've happened. It didn't make any sense.

 _Most problems look worse than they are, mijo. Nothing is unfixable,_ his mother would say.

His mom could repair just about anything, but Leo was pretty sure she'd never worked on a fifty-year-old magic metal dragon. He clenched his teeth and decided he had to try.

"Gimme a nylon bristle detail brush, some nitrile gloves, and maybe a can of that aerosol cleaning solvent." The tool belt obliged. Leo couldn't help smiling as he pulled out the supplies. He began cleaning off the control disk. He went into autopilot mode, his hands working by themselves as his thoughts wandered.

He got so involved with his work, he wasn't sure how much time had passed before he heard, from the direction of the factory, a crash, like two dump trucks slamming together. Metal crumpled and groaned, and the noise echoed across the yard. Instantly Leo knew that the girls were in trouble.

"Gimme the biggest hammer you got," he said. He reached into his tool belt and pulled out a three-pound club hammer with a double-faced head the size of a baked potato. Then he jumped off the dragon's back and ran toward the warehouse.

He took a deep breath and peered inside. Nothing looked different. But no sign of his friends either. Leo almost called out, but something stopped him; a sense he couldn't identify. Then he realized it was smell. Something smelled wrong,like burning motor oil and sour breath. Something not human was inside the factory. Leo was certain. His body shifted into high gear, all his nerves tingling.

Then, somewhere on the factory floor, Piper's voice cried out: "Leo, help!"

But instinct made Leo hold his tongue. He slipped inside and ducked behind a cargo container. Slowly, gripping his hammer, he worked his way toward the center of the room, hiding behind boxes and hollow truck chassis. Finally he reached the assembly line. He crouched behind the nearest piece of machinery— a crane with a robotic arm.

Piper's voice called out again: "Leo?" Less certain this time, but very close.

Leo peeked around the machinery. There were three Cyclopes there. Nearby, was Lena and Piper. Both hung upside down, tied by their ankles and cocooned with chains up to their necks. Piper was flailing around, trying to free herself. Her mouth was gagged, but at least she was alive. Lena didn't look so good. She hung limply, a red welt the size of an apple had swollen over her left eyebrow.

One Cyclops rose. "Told you it was nothing," the thing rumbled.

One of the other called out in Piper's voice: "Leo, help me! Help—" Then the voice changed, becoming a masculine snarl. "Bah, there's nobody out there. No demigod could be that quiet, eh?"

The first monster chuckled. "Probably ran away, if he knows what's good for him. Or the girl was lying about a third demigod. Let's get cooking."

They gathered around a fire. Two were standing, stoking the flames. The largest one crouched with his back to Leo. The two facing him were each ten feet tall, with hairy muscular bodies and skin that glowed red in the firelight.

Leo was so terrified he could hardly think. If only he had Festus. He could use a fire-breathing sixty-foot-long tank about now. Leo slipped off his backpack and quietly started to unzip it. One Cyclops walked over to Piper, who squirmed and tried to head-butt him in the eye. He ripped the gag off her mouth saying, "I like when they scream." But Piper didn't scream. She took a shaky breath like she was trying to keep herself calm.

Meanwhile, Leo found what he wanted in the pack: a stack of tiny remote control units he'd picked up in Bunker 9. At least he hoped that's what they were. The robotic crane's maintenance panel was easy to find. He slipped a screwdriver from his tool belt and went to work, but he had to go slowly. The leader Cyclops was only twenty feet in front of him. The monsters obviously had excellent senses.

The Cyclops glowered at Piper, waiting for her to do something entertaining. "Scream, girl! I like funny screaming!"

When Piper finally spoke, her tone was calm and reasonable. "Oh, Mr. Cyclops, you don't want to kill us. It would be much better if you let us go."

He scratched his ugly head. He turned to his friend. "She's kind of pretty, Torque. Maybe I should let her go."

Torque growled. "I saw her first, Sump. I'll let her go!" Sump and Torque started to argue, but the third Cyclops rose and shouted, "Fools!"

Leo almost dropped his screwdriver. The third Cyclops was a female. She was several feet taller than Torque or Sump, and even beefier. Her greasy black hair was matted in pigtails, woven with copper wires and metal washers, and her single red eye glittered with evil intelligence. She stalked over to Sump and pushed him aside, knocking him over the conveyor belt. Torque backed up quickly.

"The girl is Venus spawn," the lady Cyclops snarled. "She's using charmspeak on you."

Piper started to say, "Please, ma'am—"

"Rarr!" The lady Cyclops grabbed Piper around the waist. "Don't try your pretty talk on me, girl! I'm Ma Gasket! I've eaten heroes tougher than you for lunch!"

Leo feared Piper would get crushed, but Ma Gasket just dropped her and let her dangle from her chain. Then she started yelling at the others about how stupid they were.

"I should've thrown you out on the streets when you were babies, like proper Cyclops children. You might have learned some useful skills. Curse my soft heart that I kept you! Now, stoke the fire, Torque! And Sump, you idiot, my case of salsa is in the other warehouse. Don't tell me you expect me to eat these demigods without salsa!"

Sump staggered to his feet and ran off to fetch the salsa.

Leo's hands worked furiously. He twisted wires and turned switches, hardly thinking about what he was doing. He finished attaching the remote. Then he crept over to the next robotic arm while the Cyclopes were talking. _Now's the time,_ Leo thought. _While they're separated._ He finished wiring the second machine and moved toward a third. As he dashed between robotic arms, the Cyclopes didn't see him, but Piper did. Her expression turned from terror to disbelief, and she gasped.

Ma Gasket turned to her. "What's the matter, girl? So fragile I broke you?"

Piper looked away from Leo and said, "I think it's my ribs, ma'am. If I'm busted up inside, I'll taste terrible."

Ma Gasket bellowed with laughter. "Good one. The last hero we ate—remember him, Torque? Son of Mercury, wasn't he?"

"Yes, Ma," Torque said. "Tasty. Little bit stringy."

"He tried a trick like that. Said he was on medication. But he tasted fine!"

"Tasted like mutton," Torque recalled. "Purple shirt. Talked in Latin. Yes, a bit stringy, but good."

Leo's fingers froze on the maintenance panel.

"Purple shirt? Latin?" asked Piper.

"Good eating," Ma Gasket said fondly. "Point is, girl, we're not as dumb as people think! We're not falling for those stupid tricks and riddles, not us northern Cyclopes."

Leo forced himself back to work. The last part of his plan was the trickiest. From his tool belt he summoned some wires, a radio adapter, and a smaller screwdriver and started to build a universal remote. Leo's fingers flew, connecting the wires for the remote. Then the wires sparked in Leo's hand. The Cyclopes froze and turned in his direction. Then Torque picked up a truck and threw it at him. Leo rolled as the truck steamrolled over the machinery.

Then the first robotic arm whirred to life. A three-ton yellow metal claw slammed the Cyclops in the back so hard, he landed flat on his face. Before Torque could recover, the robotic hand grabbed him by one leg and hurled him straight up.

"AHHHHH!" Torque rocketed into the gloom. He never came down. Instead, yellow dust rained to the floor. Torque had disintegrated.

Ma Gasket stared at Leo in shock. "My son – You – You –"

As if on cue, Sump lumbered into the firelight with a case of salsa. "Ma, I got the extra-spicy—" He never finished his sentence. Leo spun the remote's toggle, and the second robotic arm whacked Sump in the chest. Sump flew backward, right into the base of Leo's third machine. It slammed him against the floor so hard, he exploded into dust like a broken flour sack.

 _Two Cyclopes down._

Leo was beginning to feel like Commander Tool Belt when Ma Gasket locked her eye on him. She grabbed the nearest crane arm and ripped it off its pedestal with a savage roar. "You busted my boys! Only I get to bust my boys!"

"You should've thought of that before you busted my gals." Leo punched a button, and the two remaining arms swung into action. Ma Gasket caught the first one and tore it in half. The second arm smacked her in the head, but that only seemed to make her mad. She grabbed it by the clamps, ripped it free, and swung it like a baseball bat. Then she let it go—spinning it toward Leo. He yelped and rolled to one side as it demolished the machine next to him.

She stood about twenty feet from him now, next to the cooking fire. Her fists were clenched, her teeth bared. "Any more tricks, demigod?" Ma Gasket demanded.

Leo glanced up. "Heck, yeah, I got tricks!" he raised his remote control. "Take one more step, and I'll destroy you with fire!"

Ma Gasket laughed. "Would you? Cyclopes are immune to fire, you idiot. But if you wish to play with flames, let me help!" She scooped red-hot coals into her bare hands and flung them at Leo. They landed all around his feet.

"You missed," he said incredulously. Then Ma Gasket grinned, picked up a barrel next to the truck and threw it. The barrel split on the floor in front of him, spilling lighter fluid everywhere. Coals sparked. Leo closed his eyes, and Piper screamed, "No!"

A firestorm erupted around him. When Leo opened his eyes he was bathed in flames swirling twenty feet into the air. Ma Gasket shrieked with delight, but Leo didn't offer the fire any good fuel. The kerosene burned off, dying down to small fiery patches on the floor.

Piper gasped. "Leo?"

Ma Gasket looked astonished. "You live?" Then she took that extra step forward, which put her right where Leo wanted. "What are you?"

"The son of Hephaestus, duh," Leo said. He pointed one finger in the air and summoned all his will. He'd never tried to do anything so focused and intense—but he shot a bolt of white-hot flames at the chain suspending the engine block above the Cyclops's head—aiming for the link that looked weaker than rest.

The flames died. Nothing happened. Ma Gasket laughed. "An impressive try, son of Hephaestus. It's been many centuries since I saw a fire user. You'll make a spicy appetizer!"

The chain snapped—that single link heated beyond its tolerance point—and the engine block fell, deadly and silent. Ma Gasket didn't even have time to look up.

"Note to self: Cyclops aren't, however, immune to engines," Leo said. Then he fell to his knees, his head buzzing. After a few minutes he realized Piper was calling his name.

"Leo! Are you all right? Can you move?"

He stumbled to his feet. It took him a long time to get Piper down from her chains. Then together they lowered Lena, who was still unconscious. Piper managed to trickle a little nectar into her mouth, and she groaned.

"Yeah, she's got a nice thick skull," Leo said. "She's gonna be fine."

"Thank god," Piper sighed. Then she looked at Leo with something like fear. "How did you—the fire—have you always...?"

Leo looked down. "Always," he said. "I'm a freaking menace. Sorry, I should've told you sooner but—"

"Sorry?" Piper punched his arm. When he looked up, she was grinning. "That was amazing, Valdez! You saved our lives. What are you sorry about?"

Leo blinked. He started to smile, but his sense of relief was ruined when he noticed something next to Piper's foot. Yellow dust—the powdered remains of one of the Cyclopes, maybe Torque—was shifting across the floor like an invisible wind was pushing it back together. "They're forming again," Leo said.

Piper stepped away from the dust. "That's not possible. Anthony told me monsters dissipate when they're killed. They go back to Tartarus and can't return for a long time."

"Well, nobody told the dust that."

"Oh, god." Piper turned pale. "Boreas said something about this—the earth yielding up horrors. _'When monsters no longer stay in Tartarus, and souls are no longer confined to Hades...'_ How long do you think we have?"

"I don't know," he said. "But we need to get out of here."

* * *

Lena was sure she was dead. At least until the voice in her head said otherwise. _You're not dead, my heroine. It is not your time. Come, speak with me_.

Lena's thoughts floated away from her body. She found herself standing in an earthen cage. Inside a woman sat cross-legged in black robes. She had wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"Hera."

"Welcome to my prison," said the goddess. "You will not die today, Lena. Your friends will see you through—for now."

"For now?"

"There are worse trials to come. The very earth stirs against us."

"You're a goddess," Lena said. "Why can't you just escape?"

Hera smiled sadly. "Some powers are even greater than the gods," she said. "I am not easily contained. I can be in many places at once. But when the greater part of my essence is caught, it is like a foot in a bear trap, you might say. I can't escape, and I am concealed from the eyes of the other gods. Only you can find me, and I grow weaker by the day."

"Then why did you come here?" Lena asked. "How were you caught?"

The goddess sighed. "I could not stay idle. Your father Jupiter believes he can withdraw from the world, and thus lull our enemies back to sleep. He believes we Olympians have become too involved in the affairs of mortals, in the fates of our demigod children, especially since we agreed to claim them all after the war. He believes this is what has caused our enemies to stir. That is why he closed Olympus."

"But you don't agree."

"No," she said. "Often I do not understand my husband's moods or his decisions, but even for Zeus, this seemed paranoid. I cannot fathom why he was so insistent and so convinced. It was... unlike him. As Hera, I might have been content to follow my lord's wishes. But I am also Juno." Her image flickered revealing her Roman form. "Juno Moneta they once called me. Juno, the One Who Warns. I was guardian of the state, patron of Eternal Rome. I could not sit by while the descendants of my people were attacked. I sensed danger at this sacred spot. A voice—" She hesitated. "A voice told me I should come here. Gods do not have what you might call a conscience, nor do we have dreams; but the voice was like that, soft and persistent, warning me to come here. And so the same day Zeus closed Olympus, I slipped away without telling him my plans, so he could not stop me. And I came here to investigate."

"It was a trap," Lena guessed.

The goddess nodded. "Only too late did I realize how quickly the earth was stirring. I was even more foolish than Jupiter—a slave to my own impulses. This is exactly how it happened the first time. I was taken captive by the giants, and my imprisonment started a war. Now our enemies rise again. The gods can only defeat them with the help of the greatest living heroes. And the one whom the giants serve... she cannot be defeated at all... only kept asleep."

"I don't understand."

"You will soon," Hera said. "This is the our age, Lena. The age of women. We'll make it so that female names are remembered throughout history. But you must hurry. My keepers approach, and you begin to wake. I will not be strong enough to appear to you again, even in dreams."

"Wait," she asked. "Boreas told us you'd made a dangerous gamble. What did he mean?"

Hera's eyes looked wild, and Lena wondered if she really had done something crazy. "An exchange," she said. "The only way to bring peace. The enemy counts on our divisions, and if we are divided, we will be destroyed. You are my peace offering, Lena, a bridge to overcome millennia of hatred."

"What? I don't—"

"I cannot tell you more," Hera said. "You have only lived this long because I have taken your memory. But always remember, child, although others will tell you otherwise, my feelings for you are true. You're the only daughter I shall ever have, even if you aren't truly mine. I was mother to you when another refused to do so. Find me, Lena. Return to your starting point. Your sister will help."

"Thalia?"

The scene began to dissolve. "Good-bye, Glaucelena. Beware Chicago. Your most dangerous mortal enemy waits there."

"Who?" Lena demanded.

But Hera's image faded, and Lena awoke.


	18. Escaping Fate

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part VIII — _...I'm too tired to listen. I'm too old to believe all these childish stories. There's no such thing as faith..._

* * *

Frank didn't know how the girls could stand to be around him. Andy had made it clear that she hated Mars, and Frank couldn't blame her: Mars was an idiot. Hazel kept watching Frank out of the corner of her eye, like she was afraid he might turn into a muscle-bound freak.

Frank sighed. _Don't whine,_ his grandmother would say. _Zhang men do not whine._

They were twenty yards from the store when something hissed in the grass behind them.

"Go!" Frank yelled.

Andy stumbled. While Hazel helped her up, Frank turned and knocked an arrow. He shot blindly. He thought he'd grabbed an exploding arrow, but it was only a signal flare. It skidded through the grass, bursting into orange flame and whistling: _WOO!_ At least it illuminated the monster. Sitting in a patch of withered yellow grass was a lime-colored snake as short and thick as Frank's arm. Its head was ringed with a mane of spiky white fins. It fixed its large, yellow eyes on Frank. It advanced like an inchworm, hunching up in the middle. Wherever it touched, the grass withered and died.

Frank heard his friends climbing the steps of the store. He didn't dare turn and run. He and the snake studied each other. The snake hissed, flames billowing from its mouth.

"Nice creepy reptile," Frank said, very aware of the driftwood in his coat pocket. "Nice poisonous, fire-breathing reptile."

"Frank!" Hazel yelled behind him. "Come on!"

The snake sprang at him. Frank swung his bow and smacked the monster down the hill. It spun out of sight, wailing, _"Screeeee!"_ Frank felt proud of himself until he looked at his bow, which was steaming where it had touched the snake. He watched in disbelief as the wood crumbled to dust. He dropped his disintegrating bow and ran for the convenience store. Andy and Hazel pulled him up the steps. When Frank turned, he saw all three monsters circling in the grass, breathing fire and turning the hillside brown with their poisonous touch. They didn't seem able or willing to come closer to the store, but that wasn't much comfort to Frank. _He'd lost his bow._

"We'll never get out of here," he said miserably.

"Then we'd better go in." Hazel said.

Frank followed them inside. As they stepped through the door, lights came on. Andy leaned against Hazel. She looked worse than ever, like she'd been hit with a sudden flu. Her face glistened with sweat.

"Let's find you a place to rest," said Frank.

Suddenly a girl popped up from behind the granola bins. "Help you?" She was short and muscular, with lace-up boots, cargo shorts, and a bright yellow T-shirt. She looked young, but her hair was frizzy white. Frank tried to remember how to speak. The girl's eyes were really distracting. The irises changed color from gray to black to white.

From the back of the store, a woman's voice called: "Fleecy? Don't scare the customers, now. Bring them here, will you?"

"Your name is Fleecy?" Hazel asked.

Fleecy giggled. "Well, in the language of the nebulae it's actually..." She made a series of crackling and blowing noises. "But you can call me Fleecy."

"Nebulae..." Andy muttered in a daze. "Cloud nymphs."

Fleecy beamed. "Oh, I like this one! Usually no one knows about cloud nymphs. But dear me, she doesn't look so good. Come to the back. My boss wants to meet you. We'll get your friend fixed up."

At the back of the store, behind a counter with an old-fashioned cash register, stood a middle-aged woman with olive skin, long black hair and rimless glasses. She smelled like rose petals.

"Hello!" She leaned over the counter. "So glad you're here. I'm Iris!"

Hazel's eyes widened. "Not the Iris... the rainbow goddess?"

Iris made a face. "Well, that's my official job, yes. But I don't define myself by my corporate identity. In my spare time, I run this!" She gestured around her proudly. "An employee-run cooperative promoting healthy alternative lifestyles and organic foods." She smiled pointing at chocolate covered cakes. "These are gluten-free, no-sugar-added, vitamin-enriched, soy-free, goat-milk-and-seaweed-based cupcake simulations. You should try one, Frank Zhang. You're lactose intolerant, aren't you?"

"How did you—"

"I know these things. Being the messenger goddess... well, I do learn a lot, hearing all the communications from the gods and so on."

Andy leaned against the counter. She looked like she was going to throw up. "Monsters marching south," she said with difficulty. "Going to destroy our camp. Couldn't you stop them?"

"Oh, I'm strictly nonviolent," Iris said. "I can act in self-defense, but I won't be drawn into any more Olympian aggression, thank you very much. I've been reading about Buddhism. And Taoism. I haven't decided between them."

"But…" Hazel looked mystified. "Aren't you a Greek goddess?"

Iris crossed her arms. "Don't try to put me in a box, demigod! I'm not defined by my past."

"Um, okay," Hazel said. "Could you at least help Andy? I think she's sick."

Andy reached across the counter. For a second Frank was afraid she wanted the cupcakes. "Iris-message," she said. "Can you send one?"

Frank wasn't sure he'd heard right. "Iris-message?"

"It's..." Andy faltered. "Isn't that something you do?"

Iris studied Andy more closely. "Interesting. You're from Camp Jupiter, and yet... Oh, I see. Juno is up to her tricks."

"What?" Hazel asked.

Iris glanced at her assistant, Fleecy. They seemed to have a silent conversation. Then the goddess pulled a vial from behind the counter and sprayed some honeysuckle-smelling oil around Andy's face. "There, that should balance your _chakra_. As for Iris-messages... that's an ancient way of communication. The Greeks used it. The Romans never took to it, always relying on their road systems and giant eagles and whatnot. But yes... Fleecy, could you give it a try?"

"Sure, boss!"

Iris winked at Frank. "Don't tell the other gods, but Fleecy handles most of my messages these days. She's wonderful at it, really, and I don't have time to answer all those requests personally. It messes up my _wa_."

"Your what?"

"Mmm. Fleecy, why don't you take Andy Jackson and Hazel Levesque into the back? You can get them something to eat while you arrange their messages. And for Andy... yes, memory sickness. I imagine that old Polybotes... well, meeting him in a state of amnesia can't be good for a child of P... that is to say, Neptune. Fleecy, give her a cup of green tea with organic honey and wheat germ and some of my medicinal powder number five. That should fix her up."

Hazel frowned. "What about Frank?"

Iris turned to him. She tilted her head quizzically, just the way his mother used to, as if Frank were the biggest question in the room. "Oh, don't worry," Iris said. "Frank and I have a lot to talk about."

* * *

Iris roped her arm through his and led Frank to a café table at a bay window. Frank set his spear on the floor. He sat across from Iris. Outside in the dark, the snake monsters restlessly patrolled the hillside, spewing fire and poisoning the grass.

"Frank, I know how you feel," Iris said. "I imagine that half-burned stick in your pocket gets heavier every day."

Frank couldn't breathe. His hand went instinctively to his coat. "How do you—?"

"I told you. I know things. I was Juno's messenger for ages. I know why she gave you a reprieve."

"A reprieve?" Frank brought out the piece of firewood and unwrapped it from its cloth.

"Juno saved you for a reason," the goddess said. "She wants you to serve her plan. If she hadn't appeared that day when you were a baby and warned your mother about the firewood, you would've died. You were born with too many gifts. That sort of power tends to burn out a mortal life."

 _"Too many gifts?"_ Frank felt his ears getting warm with anger. "I don't have any gifts!"

"That's not true, Frank. Think about it."

"I don't understand." His voice was hoarse.

"Your mother explained it," Iris said. "You can be anything."

The memory was fresh in his memory. He remembered being curled in her lap as she told him stories of the past, stories of his family. _"Always remember, Frank,"_ she had said, _"you have a special gift. You can be anything."_

It sounded like one of those stupid things parents say to boost your self-esteem, but the way Iris said it, it sounded like a challenge.

Frank pressed his hand against his pants pocket, where he kept his mother's sacrifice medal. The silver medallion was cold as ice. "I can't be anything," Frank insisted. "I've got zero skills."

"What have you tried?" Iris asked. "You wanted to be an archer. You managed that pretty well. You've only scratched the surface. Your friends Hazel and Andy, they're both stretched between worlds: Greek and Roman, past and present. But you are stretched more than either of them. Your family is ancient... the blood of Pylos on your mother's side, and your father is Mars. No wonder Juno wants you to be one of her seven heroes. She wants you to fight the giants and Gaea. But think about this: What do _you_ want?"

"I don't have any choice," Frank said. "I'm the son of the stupid war god. I have to go on this quest and—"

"Have to," Iris repeated. "Not _want_ to. I used to think like that. Then I got tired of being everyone's servant. I learned to let go. You can let go, too. Maybe you can't escape fate. Someday that piece of wood will burn. I foresee that you'll be holding it when it happens, and your life will end, but that just makes your life more precious! You don't have to be what your parents and your grandmother expect. You don't have to follow the war god's orders, or Juno's. Do your own thing, Frank! Find a new path!"

Frank thought about that. The idea was thrilling: reject the gods, his destiny, his dad. He didn't want to be a war god's son. His mother had died in a war. Frank had lost everything thanks to a war. Mars clearly didn't know the first thing about him. Frank didn't want to be a hero.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked. "You want me to abandon the quest, let Camp Jupiter be destroyed? My friends are counting on me."

Iris spread her hands. "I can't tell you what to do, Frank. But do what you _want_ , not what they tell you to do. Where did conforming ever get me? I spent five millennia serving everyone else, and I never discovered my own identity. What's my sacred animal? No one bothered to give me one. Where are my temples? They never made any. Well, fine! I've found a peace here at the co-op. You could stay with us, if you want. Or not. The point is you have options. If you continue this quest... what happens when you free Thanatos? Will it be good for your family?"

 _You can be anything,_ his mother had said. But he couldn't; that would be selfish.

"I have to go," he said. "It's my job."

Iris sighed. "I expected as much, but I had to try. The task ahead of you... Well, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, especially a nice boy like you. If you must go, at least I can offer some advice. You'll need help finding Thanatos."

"You know where the giants are hiding him?" Frank asked.

Iris was thoughtful. "No. Alaska is beyond the gods' sphere of control. The location is shielded from my sight. But there is someone who would know. Seek out the seer Phineas. He's blind, but he can see the past, present, and future. He knows many things. He can tell you where Thanatos is being held."

"Phineas..." Frank said. "Wasn't there a story about him?"

Iris nodded reluctantly. "In the old days, he committed horrible crimes. He used his gift of sight for evil. Jupiter sent the harpies to plague him. The Argonauts... including your ancestor, by the way—"

"The prince of Pylos?"

Iris hesitated. "Yes, Frank. Though his gift, his story... that you must discover on your own. Suffice it to say, the Argonauts drove away the harpies in exchange for Phineas's help. That was eons ago, but I understand Phineas has returned to the mortal world. You'll find him in Portland, Oregon, which is on your way north. But you must promise me one thing. If he's still plagued by harpies, do not kill them, no matter what Phineas promises you. Win his help some other way. The harpies are not evil. And Frank... if you're determined to leave, you'll have to clear those basilisks off the hill."

"You mean the snakes?"

"Yes," Iris said. "You won't be able to leave until they're gone. The girls shouldn't get involved. Only you have the ability to kill the monsters."

"But how?"

She glanced down at the floor. Frank realized that she was looking at his spear. "I wish there was another way," she said. "If you had some weasels, for instance. Weasels are deadly to basilisks."

"Fresh out of weasels," Frank admitted.

"Then you will have to use your father's gift."

Frank rose. "How do I use the spear?"

"You'll have to handle that on your own. I can't advocate violence. While you're doing battle, I'll check on your friends. I hope Fleecy found the right medicinal herbs. The last time, we had a mix-up... Well, I don't think those heroes wanted to be daisies." The goddess stood. "One last bit of advice, Frank Zhang. You're destined to die holding that piece of firewood, watching it burn. But perhaps if you didn't keep it yourself. Perhaps if you trusted someone enough to hold it for you..."

Frank's fingers curled around the tinder. "Are you offering?"

Iris laughed gently. "Oh, dear, no. I'd lose it in this collection. No, I meant a demigod friend. Someone close to your heart."

 _Hazel,_ Frank thought immediately. There was no one he trusted more. But how could he confess his secret? He wrapped up the tinder and slipped it back into his coat. "Than... thanks, Iris."

She squeezed his hand. "Don't lose hope, Frank. Rainbows always stand for hope." She made her way toward the back of the store, leaving Frank alone.

"Hope," Frank grumbled. "I'd rather have a few good weasels." He picked up his father's spear and marched out to face the basilisks. He wanted to stand on the porch and shoot the snakes from a distance with his bow. That was his way of doing things. A few well-placed exploding arrows, a few craters in the hillside; problem solved.

Not this time. He stepped off the porch and leveled his golden spear. He didn't like fighting up close. He was too slow and bulky. He crept downhill, his eyes stinging from the smoke. He emerged in a clearing of burned grass and found himself face-to-face with a basilisk. The snake rose up on its tail. It hissed, and expanded the collar of white spikes around its neck. The monster fixed its pale yellow eyes on Frank. Then he heard the grass rustle on either side of him. The other two basilisks slithered into the clearing.

Frank swept his spear back and forth. "Stay back!" His voice sounded squeaky. "I've got... um... amazing powers... and stuff." The spear tip was almost too heavy to lift now, as if the jagged white triangle of bone was trying to touch the earth. Then something clicked in the back of Frank's mind. The basilisks circled him, taking their time. Maybe they were hesitating because of the spear. It seemed like madness, but Frank let the spear tip drop. He drove it into the ground. _Crack_. When he lifted it out, the tip was gone, broken off in the dirt.

 _Wonderful_. Now he had a golden stick.

The ground rumbled at his feet. Dirt spewed everywhere, and a skeletal hand clawed the air. The basilisks hissed and backed up. Frank couldn't blame them. He watched in horror as a human skeleton crawled out of the ground. It turned toward Frank. Its skull grinned beneath an expressionless gray face. Frank whimpered like a puppy. His legs shook so badly he had to support himself with the spear shaft. The skeleton warrior was waiting, Frank realized, waiting for orders.

"Kill the basilisks!" he yelped. "And keep away from me!"

The skeletal warrior leaped into action. He grabbed the nearest snake, and though his gray flesh began to smoke on contact, he strangled the basilisk with one hand and flung down its limp body. The other two basilisks hissed with rage. One sprang at Frank, but he knocked it aside with the butt of his spear. The other snake belched fire directly in the skeleton's face. The warrior marched forward and stomped the basilisk's head under his boot. The skeleton warrior's right foot and hand were slowly dissolving from poison. His head was on fire, but otherwise he looked pretty good.

Frank turned toward the last basilisk, which was curled at the edge of the clearing studying them. The basilisk did the smart thing; it turned to flee. In a blur of motion, the skeleton pulled something from his shirt and flung it across the clearing, impaling the basilisk in the dirt. Frank thought it was a knife. Then he realized it was one of the skeleton's own ribs.

Frank was glad his stomach was empty. "That... that was gross, man."

The skeleton stumbled over to the basilisk. It pulled out its rib and used it to cut off the creature's head. The basilisk dissolved into ashes. Then the skeleton decapitated the other two monster carcasses and kicked all the ashes to disperse them.

"You're making sure they don't come back," Frank realized. "Or slowing them down, anyway."

The skeleton warrior stood at attention in front of Frank. Its poisoned foot and hand were mostly gone. Its head was still burning. The skeleton saluted with its stump of a hand. Then it began to crumble, sinking back into the ground.

"Wait!" Frank said. "I don't even know what to call you! Tooth Man? Bones? Gray?" Alone, Frank examined the tip of his spear. Already, a new dragon tooth was starting to grow out of the golden shaft.

 _You get three charges out of it,_ Mars had said.

Frank heard footsteps behind him. Andy and Hazel ran into the clearing. Andy looked better, and Riptide was in her hand. Hazel had drawn her _spatha_. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Andy turned in a circle, looking for enemies. "Iris told us you were out here battling the basilisks by yourself, and we were like, what? We came as fast as we could. What happened?"

"I'm not sure," Frank admitted.

Hazel crouched next to the dirt where Gray disappeared. "I sense death. Either my brother has been here or... the basilisks are dead?"

Andy stared at him in awe. "You killed them all?"

Frank swallowed. "I'll explain later," he said. "Right now, there's a blind man in Portland we've got to see."


	19. Rich & Exotic

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part XI — _I was exiled, persecuted, left alone with no defense. When I think of what that brute did, I get a little tense._

* * *

Lena was impressed as soon as she heard all that her friends had gone through after she'd been knocked out. But what really caught her interest was when Piper told her about the other demigod the Cyclopes claimed to have eaten, the one in the purple shirt who spoke Latin.

"I'm not alone, then," she said. "There are others like me."

"Lena," Piper said, "you were never alone. You've got us."

"I—I know... but something Hera said. I had a dream..." And she told them what she'd seen, and what the goddess had said inside her cage.

"An exchange?" Piper asked. "What does that mean?"

Lena shook her head. "But Hera's gamble is me. Heroes and gods had to work together before and she hopes it can happen again."

"Kind of hard to do," Leo grumbled, "if the gods won't even talk to us." They flew west and soon arrived in Chicago. "One problem down. We got here alive. Now, how do we find the storm spirits?"

Lena saw a flash of movement below them. At first she thought it was a small plane, but it was too small, too dark and fast. The thing spiraled toward the skyscrapers, weaving and changing shape—and, just for a moment it became the smoky figure of a horse. "How about we follow that one," she suggested, "and see where it goes?"

The _ventus_ moved like – well, like the wind – and Lena was afraid to lose it. The dragon circled over a wide avenue next to a lake-side park. Storm spirits were converging—at least a dozen of them, whirling around a big public art installation.

"Oh great," Piper said. "There's more."

"Which one do you think is Dylan?" Leo asked. "I wanna throw something at him."

The _venti_ swirled together into a single funnel cloud and skittered across a fountain, kicking up a waterspout almost as high as the monoliths. They got to its center, popped off a drain cover, and disappeared underground. Festus landed in an open area between the lake and the skyline. They dismounted, and Festus the dragon stomped his feet.

"Festus can't hang around here in the middle of the park," Leo said. "They'll arrest him for loitering. Maybe if I had a dog whistle..." He rummaged in his tool belt, but came up with nothing. "Too specialized?" he guessed. "Okay, give me a safety whistle. They got that in lots of machine shops." This time, Leo pulled out a big plastic orange whistle. "Coach Hedge would be jealous! Okay, Festus, listen." Leo blew the whistle. "You hear that, come find me, okay? Until then, you fly wherever you want. Just try not to barbecue any pedestrians."

The dragon snorted—hopefully in agreement. Then he spread his wings and launched into the air.

They headed toward the fountain. All the water had emptied out except for a few patches that were starting to freeze. They stepped to the center of the pool. No spirits tried to stop them. The drain hole was easily big enough for a person, and a maintenance ladder led down into the gloom. Lena went first. The ladder dropped into a brickwork tunnel running north to south. Piper and Leo climbed down after her.

"Are all sewers this nice?" Piper wondered.

"No," Leo said. "Trust me." Under the look they gave him, he added: "I've slept in some weird places, okay? Now, which way do we go?"

Lena tilted her head, listening, then pointed south. "That way."

"How can you be sure?" Piper asked.

"There's a draft blowing south," Lena said.

They headed that way. Leo opened his hand and small ball of flame burst to life, dancing across his palm to light their way. In the firelight, Piper's eyes seemed to dance. Lena had been studying them for days now, and she still couldn't decide what color they were.

"Back in the factory," Lena said, "you were you going to say something about your dad."

"Was I?"

"Piper... he's in some kind of trouble, isn't it?"

Piper looked on the verge of tears. "Lena... I can't talk about it."

"We're your friends. Let us help."

That seemed to make her feel worse. She took a shaky breath. "I wish I could, but... It's better this way." Before Lena could argue, Piper started walking faster, ahead of them.

"Ah, she'll be fine," Leo said. "We're all going to be fine. Right?"

Lena nodded, unsure. She was grateful Leo was with them. It made being with Piper a little less intense and uncomfortable. Lena stared at the fire in his hand. "Leo... That is so cool. Why didn't you say something sooner?"

Leo's smile faltered. "Didn't want to look like a freak."

"I have lightning and wind powers," Lena reminded him. "Piper can turn beautiful and charm people into giving her BMWs."

"Hephaestus cabin doesn't see fire powers as cool. Nyssa told me they're super rare. When a demigod like me comes around, bad things happen. Really bad."

"Maybe it's the other way around," Lena suggested. "Maybe people with special gifts show up when bad things are happening because that's when they're needed most."

"Yeah, maybe. But I'm telling you... it's not always a gift."

"You're talking about your mom, aren't you?" Leo didn't answer. He didn't have to. The fact that he was quiet, not joking around—that told Lena enough. "I might have no idea what I'm talking about, but... her death wasn't your fault. Whatever happened... it wasn't because you could summon fire."

Leo looked up, his eyes full of pain. "You ever wonder about the other four demigods? I mean... if we're three of the ones from the Great Prophecy, who are the others? Where are they?"

"I don't know," she said. "I guess the other four will show up when the time is right. Who knows? Maybe they're on some other quest right now."

Leo grunted. "I bet their sewer is nicer than ours."

"Oh, yes," Lena agreed. "That's a given."

* * *

It was hard to measure time down there, but Lena figured they walked for about four hours. Finally, at the end of the tunnel, they found polished steel elevator doors. They entered and Lena pressed the first button she found. The doors slid open on the fourth floor, and the scent of perfume wafted into the elevator. Lena stepped out first, sword ready.

"You've got to see this."

Piper joined her and caught her breath.

The department store looked like the inside of a kaleidoscope. The entire ceiling was a stained glass mosaic with astrological signs around a giant sun. The daylight streaming through it washed everything in a thousand different colors. The upper floors made a ring of balconies around a huge central atrium, so they could see all the way down to the ground floor.

Leo stepped to the railing and looked down. "Check it out."

In the middle of the atrium a fountain sprayed water twenty feet into the air, changing color from red to yellow to blue. On either side of the fountain stood a gilded cage, like an oversize canary cage. Inside one, a miniature hurricane swirled, and lightning flashed. Somebody had imprisoned the storm spirits, and the cage shuddered as they tried to get out. In the other, frozen like a statue, was a short, buff satyr, holding a tree-branch club.

"Coach Hedge!" Piper said. "We've got to get down there."

A voice said, "May I help you find something?"

All three of them jumped back.

A woman had just appeared in front of them. She wore an elegant black dress with diamond jewelry. Her long dark hair swept over one shoulder, and her face was gorgeous. She smiled. "I'm so happy to see new customers."

Lena started to relax. Her voice was rich and exotic. Lena wanted to hear more. "So you're new to America?"

"I am... new," the woman agreed. "I am the Princess of Colchis. Now, what are you looking for?"

"Um, right. Actually..." Lena pointed to the gilded cage. "That's our friend down there, Gleeson Hedge. The satyr. Could we... have him back, please?"

"Of course!" the princess agreed immediately. "I would love to show you my inventory. First, may I know your names?"

Piper started to say, "I wouldn't—"

"This is Piper McLean," Lena said. "And Leo Valdez. I'm Lena Grace."

The princess fixed her eyes on Lena and, just for a moment, her face literally glowed, blazing with so much anger, Lena could see her skull beneath her skin. Lena's mind was getting blurrier, but she knew something didn't seem right. Then the moment passed, and the princess looked like a normal elegant woman again, with a cordial smile and a soothing voice.

"Lena Grace. What an interesting name," she said, her eyes as cold as the Chicago wind. "I was waiting for you."

* * *

"Guys," Piper said eyeing the woman suspiciously, "we're here to get the storm spirits and Coach Hedge. If—"

"Oh, my dear," the princess said. "I'm a saleswoman. I know exactly what you need. Trust me."

"Lena," Piper said. "We've got a job to do. Remember?" She tried to put power into her words, to call Lena with charmspeak.

"Job to do," she muttered. "Sure. Yeah, maybe we should—"

The princess beamed at her. "We have potions for resisting fire—"

"Got that covered," Leo said.

"Indeed?" The princess studied Leo's face more closely. "You don't appear to be wearing my trademark sunscreen. We also have potions that cause blindness, insanity, sleep, or—"

"How much for Coach Hedge?" Piper asked.

The princess got a faraway look in her eyes. "Well, now... The price is always tricky. I always keep my bargains, but sometimes people try to cheat me." Her gaze drifted to Lena. "Once, for instance, I met a handsome young man who wanted a treasure from my father's kingdom. We made a bargain, and I promised to help him steal it."

"From your own dad?" The idea seemed to bother Lena.

"I demanded a high price," the princess said. "I demanded eternal love." She looked at Piper. "I'm sure, my dear, you understand. He loved me. And I loved him. And the many impossible tasks he did... Well, he couldn't have done without me. I betrayed my own family for him, and still he cheated me of my payment."

"That's messed up," Leo said.

The princess patted his cheek affectionately. "I'm sure you don't need to worry, Leo. You seem honest. You would always pay a fair price, wouldn't you?"

Leo nodded. "What were we buying again? I'll take two."

Piper broke in: "Coach Hedge. How much?"

The princess measured Piper. "Would you give anything for it, my dear? I sense that you would."

The words washed over Piper as powerfully as a good surfing wave. The force of the suggestion nearly lifted her off her feet. She wanted to pay any price. She wanted to say yes. Then her stomach twisted. Piper realized she was being charmspoken. Was that how people felt when she used her power? Suddenly she felt guilty.

She summoned all her willpower. "No, I won't pay any price. But a fair price, maybe."

The princess tilted her head, examining Piper with new found respect. "Impressive," she said. "Not many people could resist my suggestions. Are you a child of Aphrodite, my dear? Ah, yes... I should have seen it. No matter. Perhaps we should shop a while longer before you decide what to buy, eh?"

"Coach Hedge—"

"Lena Grace," she called wickedly. Her voice was so much more powerful than Piper's, so full of confidence, Piper didn't stand a chance. "Would you like to see more?"

"Sure," Lena said.

"Excellent," the princess said. "You'll need all the help you can get if you're to make it to the Bay Area."

"The Bay Area? Why the Bay Area?"

The princess smiled. "I'm a seer, my dear. I know your little secret. But we don't want to dwell on that, do we? I'm here to give Lena Grace what she deserves."

Piper glared at the princess. "Who are you?"

"I told you, my dear. I'm the Princess of Colchis. My father ruled the far shores of the Black Sea. But Colchis is no more, lost eons ago. My patron made all this possible."

Piper's mouth tasted like metal. "Your patron—"

"Oh, yes. She doesn't bring just anyone through, mind you... only those who have special talents, such as me. And really, she insists on so little. Really, it was the best bargain I'd made in centuries."

Suddenly Lena called, "Hey, check it out!" She held up a purple T-shirt like the one she'd worn on the school field trip. "Why does this look so familiar?"

"Those shirts are very popular. Trade ins from previous customers. It suits you, Lena Grace."

"Why don't you tell Lena how you betrayed your family?" Piper said, trying to control her nerves. "I'm sure she'd like to hear that story."

"More story?" Leo asked.

The princess flashed Piper an irritated look. "Oh, one will do strange things for love, Piper. You should know that. I fell in love, in fact, because your mother Aphrodite had me under a spell. If it wasn't for her... but I can't hold a grudge against a goddess, can I?"

"But the hero kept his promise," Piper remembered. "He married you just as he said he would."

 _"That's not what was promised!"_ The princess shouted. "He promised to love me. At first, it seemed he would keep his word. And all I did... All I ever did was for him. As we fled, my brother's fleet came after us. His warships overtook us. He would have destroyed us, but I convinced my brother to come aboard our ship first and talk under a flag of truce. He trusted me, see?"

"And you killed him," said Piper, the horrible story coming back to her.

"No," the princess snapped. "Those stories are lies. It was my husband who killed my brother, though they couldn't have done it without my deception. And like I said, all I did was for love. And he... he forgot our bargain. He betrayed me in the end."

Lena looked uncomfortable. "What did he do?"

"You of all people should know, Lena Grace," she growled. "It was _your_ fault, Princess of Corinth." She grinned. "Certainly I made mistakes. I was called a traitor, a thief, a liar, a murderess. But I acted out of love. And Aphrodite, Piper, preaches that all acts of love should be forgiven."

"No, she doesn't," said Piper. She walked up to Lena and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Don't you see who she is? She's charmspeaking you!"

Lena knit her eyebrows. "She seems okay."

"She's not okay! She shouldn't even be alive! She was married to Jason three thousand years ago. Remember what Boreas said, something about the souls no longer being confined to Hades? She's come back from the Underworld!"

"Girls," the princess called. "That is what you want, yes?" She pointed to the cage.

The old satyr seemed to have been petrified at the moment he was sucked into the sky above the Grand Canyon. He was frozen mid-shout, his club raised over his head like he was ordering the gym class to drop and give him fifty. His curly hair stuck up at odd angles.

"Yes," the princess said. "I always keep my wares in good condition. We can certainly barter for the storm spirits and the satyr. A package deal." She gave Piper a shrewd look. "That's better than starting unpleasantness, isn't it, dear?"

"Totally!" Leo agreed. "Name your price."

The princess chuckled. "Name my price? Perhaps not the best haggling strategy, my boy, but at least you know a thing's value. Freedom is very valuable indeed. You would ask me to release this satyr, who attacked my storm winds. My patron asked me to send them to abduct you. I assure you it was nothing personal. And no harm done, as you came here, in the end, of your own free will! At any rate, you want the satyr freed, and you want my storm spirits, who are very valuable servants, by the way, so you can hand them over to that tyrant Aeolus. Doesn't seem quite fair, does it? The price will be high."

Piper could see that her friends were ready to offer anything, promise anything. "Oh, for the love of Aphrodite, she's Medea," Piper exclaimed. "She helped Jason steal the Golden Fleece. She's one of the most evil villains in Greek mythology. We can't trust her!" Piper put all the intensity she could gather into those words.

Lena stepped away from the sorceress. Leo scratched his head and looked around like he was coming out of a dream. "What are we doing, again?"

The princess spread her hands in a welcoming gesture. "Yes, I'm Medea. But I'm so misunderstood! Oh, Piper, darling, you don't know what it was like for women in the old days. We had no power, no leverage. Often we couldn't even choose our own husbands. But _I_ was different. I chose my own destiny by becoming a sorceress. I made a pact with Jason: my help to win the fleece, in exchange for his love. A fair deal. He became a famous hero! Without me, he would've died unknown on the shores of Colchis."

Lena scowled. "Then... you really did die three thousand years ago? You came back from the Underworld?"

"Death no longer holds me, Lena Grace," Medea said. "Thanks to my patron, I am flesh and blood again."

"You... re-formed?" Leo blinked. "Like a monster?"

"You have no idea what's happening, do you? It is so much worse than a stirring of monsters from Tartarus. My patron knows that giants and monsters are not her greatest servants. I am mortal. I learn from my mistakes. And now that I have returned to the living, I will not be cheated again."

"Jason left Medea because she was crazy and bloodthirsty," said Piper.

"LIES!" Medea shouted. "He left me because that tramp offered herself to him like there was no tomorrow! _Princess of Corinth!_ Please!" She pointed a bony finger at Lena. "You came with your golden hair and those crystal skies and soon he could barely remember my name. And Hera blessed her like she blessed you. Glaucelena... Ha!" She spat the name like a curse. "And Jason, curse him, left me after I bore him two children!"

"Which you murdered!" said Piper. "Like you murdered the Princess of Corinth."

Medea snarled. "The people of the Corinth drove me out. Jason did nothing to protect me. He robbed me of everything. So yes, I sneaked back into the palace and poisoned his lovely new bride. It was only fair, a suitable price."

"You're insane," Piper said.

"I am the victim!" Medea wailed. "I died with my dreams shattered, but no longer. I know now not to trust heroes."

Piper drew her dagger. "Lena, Leo, it's time to go. Now."

"Before you've closed the deal?" Medea asked. "My price is so easy. Leo, Lena, why don't you two fight? You resent each other!"

Piper tried to argue, but Lena and Leo were already glaring at each other, as if it was just dawning on them how they really felt.

"You never take anything seriously," Lena accused. "You can't even fix a dragon."

Leo scowled. "Oh, yeah? At least I did something. What have _you_ done for this quest?"

They both drew weapons, Lena her gold sword, and Leo a hammer from his tool belt.

"I've been preparing for this war for years, even before I was brought back to life," said Medea. "I can tell the future as well as your little oracle. Years ago, still suffering in the Fields of Punishment, I had a vision of the seven in your so-called Great Prophecy. I saw your friend Leo here, and saw that he would be an important enemy someday. I stirred the consciousness of my patron, gave her this information, and she managed to wake just a little, just enough to visit him."

"Leo's mother..." Piper said. "Lena, Leo, listen to me! Medea is charming you. It's part of her magic. You are best friends. Don't fight each other. Fight her!" They hesitated, and Piper could feel the spell shatter. Then a lot of things happened at the same time.

Lena looked dizzy but Leo pulled out his whistle and blew it. The sorceress grabbed a swan-shaped vial and Piper did the only thing that came to mind: she grabbed the heaviest thing she could find and threw it at her. Medea turned triumphantly just in time to get hit in the chest and stumbled backward, crashing over the counter, breaking vials and knocking down shelves. When the sorceress stood from the wreckage, her dress was stained a dozen different colors. Many of the stains were smoldering and glowing. "Fool!" she wailed. "Do you have any idea what so many potions will do when mixed?"

"Kill you, hopefully," said Piper.

"You've doomed us all!" Medea screamed. Smoke was rolling across the carpet as the stain spread, throwing sparks and setting fires in the clothing racks. "You have only seconds before this concoction consumes everything and destroys the building. There's no time—"

 _CRASH!_

The stained glass ceiling splintered in a rain of multicolored shards, and Festus the bronze dragon dropped into the department store. "That's my boy!" Leo yelled.

Medea cursed in some ancient language. "I will not be abandoned again!" The sorceress knelt and snatched up a red potion, which had somehow survived the crash. "You want your memory restored, Lena Grace? Take me with you and I'll heal you!"

Lena and Piper exchanged a look. "Not today, witch." Piper and the others climbed on Festus. Piper heard Medea screaming in rage as they soared through the broken roof and over downtown Chicago. Then the department store exploded behind them.


	20. Sturgeons & Harpies

Act II - **From The Sea We Rise**

Part IX - _By the waters sweet and clean, where the mighty sturgeon lives, plant the squash and reap the bean, all the earth our mother gives._

* * *

The farther north Andy went, the more her memories faded. She had started to feel better at Camp Jupiter, remembering random names and faces. But now even Anthony's face was getting dimmer. When she'd tried to send an Iris-message to him, Fleecy had just shaken her head sadly.

"It's like you're dialing somebody," she said, "but you've forgotten the number. Or someone is jamming the signal. Sorry, dear. I just can't connect you."

Andy was terrified that she'd lose Anthony's face completely when she got to Alaska. Maybe she'd wake up one day and not remember his name. Still, she guided the boat through the strong currents off the northern California coast. She bent her will to push the boat as hard as she could.

Meanwhile, Hazel and Frank traded stories. Frank explained about the blind seer Phineas in Portland, and how Iris had said that he might be able to tell them where to find Thanatos. In exchange, Hazel told Frank about their time with Fleecy.

"So this Iris-message worked?" Frank asked.

Hazel gave Andy a sympathetic look. "I got in touch with Reyna," she said. "Reyna's image appeared in the rainbow. She was in the baths. Cursed my next five generations."

"That I would've paid to see," Frank said. "I mean, her expression, not... her... naked... in the baths..."

"Frank!" Hazel punched him in the arm. They were so cute together Andy had to crack a smile. "Anyway, we told Reyna about the army, but like Andy said, she pretty much already knew. It doesn't change anything. She's doing what she can to shore up the defenses. Unless we unleash Death, and get back with the eagle—"

"The camp can't stand against that army," Frank finished. "Not without help."

After that, they sailed in silence. After a few more hours of navigating, Andy's eyes started to droop. She was afraid she'd pass out from exhaustion. Then a killer whale surfaced next to the boat, and Andy begged it to take them north. The whale agreed so Andy settled in for a nap.

She dreamed she was on Mount Tamalpais, north of San Francisco, fighting at the old Titan stronghold. The Titan was in armor. Anthony and two other girls fought at Andy's side. One of the girls died in the battle. Andy knelt over her, watching as she dissolved into stars.

Then Andy saw a Cyclops and a hell-hound roaming over the yellow hills of California. The Cyclops kept calling Andy's name, calling her... _sister?_ Then she saw a range of snowy mountains, so tall they broke the clouds. Gaea's sleeping face appeared in the shadows of the rocks. _Such a valuable pawn,_ she said soothingly. _Do not fear, Andy Jackson. Come north! Your friends will die, yes. But I will preserve you for now. I have great plans for you._

Andy lurched awake in cold gray daylight, rain falling on her face.

"I thought I slept heavily," Hazel said. "Welcome to Portland."

Andy sat up and blinked. The Pax floated on an iron-black river through the middle of a city. Heavy clouds hung low overhead. The cold rain was so light, it seemed suspended in the air. Andy rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "How did we get here?"

Frank gave her an odd look. "You won't believe this. The killer whale took us as far as the Columbia River. Then he passed the harness to a couple of twelve-foot sturgeons."

"Twelve-foot surgeons?!"

"Sturgeons," Hazel laughed. "Like the fish. Honestly, aren't you the daughter of the sea god and all?"

"I don't know all fish, that's crazy talk..."

"Anyway," Frank continued, "the sturgeons pulled us for a long time. Hazel and I took turns sleeping. Then we hit this river... After that, the boat kind of took over and navigated us here all by itself. Sleep okay?"

"No." The Pax docked itself at a wharf. The three demigods stared up at the buildings of drizzly downtown Portland.

Frank wiped the rain off his flat-top hair. "So now we find a blind man in the rain," Frank said. "Yay."

As they made their way down Glisan Street, they heard a voice down the street yelling: "HA! TAKE THAT, STUPID CHICKENS!" followed by the revving of a small engine and a lot of squawking.

Andy glanced at her friends. "You think—?"

"Probably," Frank agreed.

They ran toward the sounds. The next block over, they found a big open parking lot with tree-lined sidewalks and rows of food trucks facing the streets on all four sides. In the center of the lot, behind all the food trucks, an old man in a bathrobe was running around with a weed whacker, screaming at a flock of bird-ladies who were trying to steal food off a picnic table.

"Harpies," said Hazel. "Which means—"

"That's Phineas," Frank guessed.

The guy in the bathrobe was old and fat. He was mostly bald, with scars across his forehead and a rim of stringy white hair. His bathrobe was spattered with ketchup, and he kept stumbling around in fuzzy pink bunny slippers, swinging his gas-powered weed whacker at the half-dozen harpies who were hovering over his picnic table. "Back, dirty chickens!" he bellowed.

As the harpies dived for the food, they seemed more desperate than angry. The old man swung his weed whacker. He grazed one of the harpies' wings. The harpy yelped in pain and fluttered off, dropping yellow feathers as she flew. Another harpy circled higher than the rest. She looked younger and smaller than the others, with bright-red feathers. She watched carefully for an opening, and when the old man's back was turned, she made a wild dive for the table. She grabbed a burrito in her clawed feet, but before she could escape, the blind man swung his weed whacker and smacked her in the back so hard, Andy winced. The harpy yelped, dropped the burrito, and flew off.

"Hey, stop that!" Andy yelled.

The harpies took that the wrong way. They glanced over at the three demigods and immediately fled.

"Ha!" The blind man yelled in triumph and killed the power on his weed whacker. He grinned vacantly in Andy's direction. "Thank you, strangers! Your help is most appreciated."

Andy bit back her anger. "Yeah, whatever." She approached the old guy, keeping one eye on the weed whacker. "I'm Andy Jackson. This is—"

"Demigods!" the old man said. "I can always smell demigods."

Hazel frowned. "Do we smell that bad?"

The old man laughed. "Of course not, my dear. But you'd be surprised how sharp my other senses became once I was blinded. I'm Phineas. And you... wait, don't tell me..." He reached for Andy's face and poked her in the eyes.

"Ow!" she complained.

"Child of sea and shore," Phineas exclaimed. "I thought I smelled the ocean on you, Andy Jackson. I'm also a child of Neptune, you know."

"Doesn't give you the right to blind me too," she rubbed her eye.

Phineas turned to Hazel. "And here... Oh my, the child of riches and death. Hazel Levesque. And next to you, child of justice and war. But there's more to your story, Frank Zhang—"

"Yeah, yeah, ancient blood," Frank muttered. "Prince of Pylos. Blah, blah, blah."

"Periclymenus, exactly! Oh, he was a nice fellow. I loved the Argonauts!"

Frank's mouth fell open. "W-wait. Perry who?"

Phineas grinned. "Don't worry. I know about your family. That story about your great-grandfather? He didn't really destroy the camp. Now, what an interesting group. Are you hungry?"

Frank looked like he'd been run over by a truck.

"Look, I'm confused," Andy said.

"Tell us something new," he mocked.

Andy smiled politely. "Okay. We need some information. We were told—"

"—that the harpies were keeping my food away from me," Phineas finished, "and if you helped me, I'd help you." He laughed. "That's old news. Do I look like I'm missing any meals?" He patted his belly, which was the size of an overinflated basketball.

"You really don't," Andy said.

"Things have changed, my friends!" he said. "When I first got the gift of prophecy, eons ago, it's true Jupiter cursed me. He sent the harpies to steal my food. You see, I had a bit of a big mouth. I gave away too many secrets that the gods wanted kept." He turned to Hazel. "For instance, you're supposed to be dead. And you—" He turned to Frank. "Your life depends on a burned stick."

Hazel blinked like she'd been slapped. Frank looked like the truck had backed up and run over him again.

"And you," Phineas turned to Andy, "well now, you don't even know who you are! I could tell you, of course, but... ha! What fun would that be?"

Hazel gripped her sword like she was tempted to pommel-whip the old man. "So you talked too much, and the gods cursed you. Why did they stop?"

"Oh, they didn't!" The old man arched his bushy eyebrows. "I had to make a deal with the Argonauts. They wanted information too, you see. I told them to kill the harpies, and I'd cooperate. Well, they drove those nasty creatures away, but Iris wouldn't let them kill the harpies. An outrage! So this time, when my patron brought me back to life—"

"Your patron?" Frank asked.

Phineas gave him a wicked grin. "Why, Gaea, of course. Who do you think opened the Doors of Death? Your girlfriend here understands. Isn't Gaea your patron, too, Hazel Levesque?"

Hazel drew her sword. "I'm not... I don't... Gaea is not my patron!"

Phineas looked amused. "Fine, if you want to be noble and stick with the losing side, that's your business. But Gaea is waking. She's already rewritten the rules of life and death! I'm alive again, and in exchange for my help, a prophecy here, a prophecy there, I get my fondest wish. The tables have been turned, so to speak. Now I can eat all I want, all day long, and the harpies have to watch and starve. You see, they're cursed!" the old man said. "They can eat only food from my table, and they can't leave Portland. Since the Doors of Death are open, they can't even die. It's beautiful!"

"Beautiful?" Frank protested. "They're living creatures. Why are you so mean to them?"

"They're monsters!" Phineas said. "And mean? Those feather-brained demons tormented me for years!"

"But it was their duty," Andy said, trying to control herself. "Jupiter ordered them to."

"Oh, I'm mad at Jupiter, too," Phineas agreed. "In time, Gaea will see that the gods are properly punished. Horrible job they've done, ruling the world."

Hazel advanced on the seer. "You're awful!" she told Phineas. "You belong in the Fields of Punishment!"

Phineas sneered. "One dead person to another, girlie? I wouldn't be talking. You started this whole thing! If it weren't for you, Alcyoneus wouldn't be alive!"

Hazel stumbled back.

"Hazel?" Frank's eyes got as wide as quarters. "What's he talking about?"

"Ha!" Phineas said. "You'll find out soon enough, Frank Zhang. Then we'll see if you're still sweet on her. But that's not what you're here about, is it? You want to find Thanatos. He's being kept at Alcyoneus's lair. I can tell you where that is. Of course I can. But you'll have to do me a favor."

"Forget it," Hazel snapped. "You're working for the enemy. We should send you back to the Underworld ourselves."

"You could try." Phineas smiled. "But I doubt I'd stay dead very long. You see, Gaea has shown me the easy way back. And with Thanatos in chains, there's no one to keep me down! Besides, if you kill me, you won't get my secrets."

Andy gritted her teeth. "What's the favor?"

Phineas licked his lips greedily. "There's one harpy who's quicker than the rest."

"The red one," Andy guessed.

"I'm blind! I don't know colors!" the old man groused. "At any rate, she's the only one I have trouble with. She's wily, that one. Always does her own thing, never roosts with the others. She gave me these." He pointed at the scars on his forehead. "Capture that harpy," he said. "Bring her to me. I want her tied up where I can keep an eye on her – ah, so to speak. Harpies hate being tied up. It causes them extreme pain. Yes, I'll enjoy that. Maybe I'll even feed her so that she lasts longer."

Andy looked at her friends. They came to a silent agreement: they would never help this creepy old man.

"Oh, go talk among yourselves," Phineas said breezily. "I don't care. Just remember that without my help, your quest will fail. And everyone you love in the world will die. Now, off with you! Bring me a harpy!"

"We'll need some of your food," Andy shouldered her way around the old man and snatched stuff off the picnic table. Before she could lose control and smash the burrito in Phineas's face, she said, "Come on, guys." She led her friends out of the parking lot. They stopped across the street. Andy took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"That man..." Hazel smacked the side of a bus-stop bench. "He needs to die. Again." It was hard to tell in the rain, but she seemed to be blinking back tears.

"We'll get him," Andy promised. "He's nothing like you, Hazel. I don't care what he says."

She shook her head. "You don't know the whole story. I should have been sent to Punishment. I... I'm just as bad—"

"No, you're not!" Frank balled his fists. He looked around like he was searching for anybody who might disagree with him. "She's a good person!" he yelled across the street. A few harpies squawked in the trees, but no one else paid them any attention.

Hazel stared at Frank. She reached out tentatively, as if she wanted to take his hand but was afraid he might evaporate.

"I could intimidate that old man," Frank offered, "maybe scare him—"

"I don't think Phineas can be scared into cooperating," Andy said. "Besides, I've got an idea." she pointed up the street. "The red-feathered harpy went that way. Let's see if we can get her to talk to us."

Hazel looked at the food in her hands. "You're going to use that as bait?"

"More like a peace offering," Andy said. "Come on." Andy uncovered the food. The harpies fluttered after them, perching on trees, mailboxes, and flagpoles, following the smell of food. Finally she spotted her, circling above a stretch of parkland that ran for several blocks between rows of old stone buildings.

They crossed the street and found a bench to sit on, next to a big bronze sculpture of an elephant. Andy raised the food.

"We won't hurt you," Andy called up. "We just want to talk. Thai noodles for a chance to talk, okay?"

The harpy streaked down in a flash of red and landed on the elephant statue. She was painfully thin. Her face would have been pretty except for her sunken cheeks. "Cheese," she muttered, looking sideways. "Ella doesn't like cheese."

Andy hesitated. "Your name is Ella?"

"Ella. _Aella_. 'Harpy.' In English. In Latin. Ella doesn't like cheese." She said all that without taking a breath or making eye contact. Quicker than Andy could blink, she lunged, snatched the cinnamon burrito, and appeared atop the elephant again.

"Gods, she's fast!" Hazel said.

"And heavily caffeinated," Frank guessed.

Ella started to eat, but the bigger harpies swooped down. Before Andy could react, they began pummeling Ella with their wings, snatching at the burrito. "Nnnnnnooo." Ella tried to hide under her wings as her sisters ganged up on her, scratching with their claws. "N-no," she stuttered. "N-n-no!"

"Stop it!" Andy yelled. They ran to help, but it was too late. A big yellow harpy grabbed the burrito and the whole flock scattered, leaving Ella cowering and shivering on top of the elephant.

Hazel touched the harpy's foot. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Ella poked her head out of her wings. She was still trembling. With her shoulders hunched, Andy could see the bleeding gash on her back where Phineas had hit her with the weed whacker. "S-small Ella," she stuttered angrily. "W-weak Ella. No cinnamon for Ella. Only cheese."

"We'll get you something else," Frank promised.

"Ella," Andy said, "we want to be your friends. We can get you more food, but—"

" _Friends_ ," Ella said. "'Ten seasons. 1994 to 2004.'" She glanced sideways at Andy. "You. _'A half-blood of the eldest gods, shall reach eighteen against all odds.'_ Eighteen. You're eighteen. Page eighteen, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. 'Ingredients: Bacon, Butter.'"

Andy's ears were ringing. "What did you just say?"

"'Bacon.'" She caught a raindrop out of the air. "'Butter.'"

"No, before that. Those lines... I know those lines."

Next to her, Hazel shivered. "It does sound familiar, like... I don't know, like a prophecy. Maybe it's something she heard Phineas say?"

At the name Phineas, Ella squawked in terror and flew away.

"Wait!" Hazel called. "I didn't mean—Oh, gods, I'm stupid."

"It's alright." Frank pointed. "Look."

Ella wasn't moving as quickly now. They followed her. They ran across the street and into the a library. As they jogged through the lobby, Andy figured Anthony would like this place. It was spacious and brightly lit, with big vaulted windows. Books and architecture, that was definitely his... Andy froze in her tracks.

"Andy?" Frank asked. "What's wrong?"

Andy tried desperately to concentrate. Where had those thoughts come from? Architecture, books... Anthony had taken her to the library once, back home in... in... The memory faded. Andy slammed her fist into the side of a bookshelf. "Damn it!"

"Andy?" Hazel asked gently.

"I'm—I'm alright," she lied. "Just got dizzy for a sec. Let's go."

They found Ella on the roof. She was huddled in a nest of books. Andy and the others advanced slowly.

"Hi," Andy said. "Sorry we scared you. Look, I don't have much food, but—"

"'Photosynthesis,'" Ella muttered. "Noun. Biology. The synthesis of complex organic materials. _'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...'_ "

"What is she saying?" Frank whispered.

Andy stared at the mound of books around her. "She's quoting them."

"Farmer's Almanac 1965," Ella said. "'Start breeding animals, January twenty-sixth.'"

"Ella," she said, "have you read all of these?"

Ella blinked. "More. More downstairs. Words. Words calm Ella down. Words, words, words."

"So she's a genius chicken," Frank said.

Andy felt uneasy. "Ella, we're going to find a way to break the curse. Would you like that?"

"'It's Impossible,'" she said. "'Recorded in English by Perry Como, 1970.'"

"Nothing's impossible," Andy said. "Now, look, I'm going to say his name. You don't have to run away. We're going to save you from the curse. We just need to figure out a way to beat... Phineas."

Andy waited for her to bolt, but Ella just shook her head vigorously. "N-n-no! No Phineas. Ella is quick. Too quick for him. B-but he wants to ch-chain Ella. He hurts Ella. Phineas is bad."

"Absolutely," Andy agreed. "We won't let him hurt you again. We need to figure out how to trick him, though. You harpies must know him better than anybody. Is there any way we can trick him?"

"N-no," Ella said. "Tricks are for kids. 50 Tricks to Teach Your Dog, by Sophie Collins, call number six-three-six—"

"Okay, Ella." Hazel spoke in a soothing voice, like she was trying to calm a horse. "But does Phineas have any weaknesses?"

"Blind. He's blind."

Frank rolled his eyes, but Hazel continued patiently, "Right. Besides that?"

"Chance," she said. "Games of chance. Two to one. Bad odds. Call or fold."

Andy's spirits rose. "You mean he's a gambler?"

"Phineas s-sees big things. Prophecies. Fates. God stuff. Not small stuff. Random. Exciting. And he is blind."

Frank rubbed his chin. "Any idea what she means?"

"I think so," Andy said. "Phineas sees the future. Tons of important events. But he can't see small things, like random occurrences, spontaneous games of chance. That makes gambling exciting for him. If we can tempt him into making a bet..."

Hazel nodded slowly. "You mean if he loses, he has to tell us where Thanatos is. But what do we have to wager? What kind of game do we play?"

"Something simple, with high stakes," Andy said. "Like two choices. One you live, one you die. And the prize has to be something Phineas wants... I mean, besides Ella. That's off the table."

"Sight," Ella muttered. "Sight is good for blind men. Healing... nope, nope. Gaea won't do that for Phineas. Gaea keeps Phineas b-blind, dependent on Gaea. Yep."

Frank and Andy exchanged a meaningful look. "Gorgon's blood," they said simultaneously.

"What?" Hazel asked.

Frank brought out the two ceramic vials he'd retrieved from the Little Tiber. "Ella's a genius," he said. "Unless we die."

"Don't worry about that," Andy said. "I've got a plan."


	21. When Nothing Lasts

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part XII — _I don't know if there's a reason why some are blessed, some not; why the few You seem to favor..._

* * *

Leo steered the dragon toward the southwest. "Good job, Festus." He patted the dragon's metal hide. "You did awesome." He still couldn't believe how much the dragon understood him. Festus had broke inside Medea's store, destroyed pretty much everything and he had even remembered to take the _venti_ and Coach Hedge with him.

The dragon shuddered. Gears popped and clicked in his neck. Leo frowned. He didn't like those noises. "I'll give you a tune-up next time we land," Leo promised. "You've earned some motor oil and Tabasco sauce." Festus whirled his teeth, but even that sounded weak. He flew at a steady pace, his great wings angling to catch the wind, but he was carrying a heavy load.

"Leo." Piper patted his shoulder. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah... not bad for a brainwashed zombie." He hoped he didn't look as embarrassed as he felt. "Thanks for saving us back there, Princess of Sparta."

"Don't worry about it," Piper said.

But Leo worried a lot. Medea had seen the future down in the Underworld. That was how her patron, the woman in the black earthen robes, had come to the machine shop seven years ago to scare him, ruin his life. That's how his mother had died—because of something Leo might do someday. In a weird way, that still made his mother's death his fault.

"We're going to have to put down soon," he warned the girls. "Couple more hours, maybe, to make sure Medea's not following us. I don't think Festus can fly much longer than that."

"Yeah," Piper agreed. "Coach Hedge probably wants to get out of his canary cage, too. Question is: where are we going?"

"The Bay Area," Leo guessed. His memories of the department store were fuzzy, but he seemed to remember hearing that. "Didn't Medea say something about that?"

"Piper's dad," Lena put in. "Something's happened to your dad, right? He got lured into some kind of trap."

Piper let out a shaky breath. "Look, even if we went there, the Bay Area is huge! First we need to find Aeolus and drop off the storm spirits. Boreas said Aeolus was the only one who could tell us exactly where to go."

Leo grunted. "So how do we find Aeolus?"

Lena leaned forward. "You mean you don't see it?" She pointed ahead of them, but Leo didn't see anything.

"What?"

"That... whatever it is," she said. "In the air."

Leo glanced back. Piper looked just as confused as he was. "Right," Leo said. "Could you be more specific on the 'whatever-it-is' part?"

"Like a vapor trail," Lena said. "Except it's glowing. Really faint, but it's definitely there. We've been following it since Chicago, so I figured you saw it."

Leo shook his head. "Maybe Festus can sense it. You think Aeolus made it?"

"Well, it's a magic trail in the wind," Lena said. "Aeolus is the wind god. I think he knows we've got prisoners for him. He's telling us where to fly."

"Or it's another trap," Piper said. Her tone worried Leo. She didn't just sound nervous. She sounded broken with despair, like they'd already sealed their fate, and like it was her fault.

"If your dad's in trouble and we can help—"

"You can't," she said, her voice getting shakier. "Look, I'm tired. If you don't mind..." She leaned back against Lena and closed her eyes.

They flew in silence for a while. Festus seemed to know where he was going. He kept his course, gently curving toward the southwest and hopefully Aeolus's fortress. Leo's energy level was crashing. The monotonous beat of the dragon's wings made his eyes feel heavy. His head started to nod.

"Catch a few Z's," Lena said. "It's cool. Besides, I'm the only one who can see the vapor trail."

Leo's eyes started to close on their own. "Alright. Maybe just..." He didn't finish the sentence before slumping forward against the dragon's warm neck.

In his dream, he seemed to be in a workshop. Staring down at him was a bearded man in grimy blue coveralls. His face was lumpy and covered with welts, as if he'd been bitten by a million bees, or dragged across gravel. Possibly both.

"Holy mother!" Leo yelped.

"Humph," the man said. "Holy father, boy. I should think you'd know the difference."

Leo blinked. "Hephaestus?" He felt was a surge of complete annoyance. "Now you show up? After fifteen years? Great parenting. Where do you get off sticking your ugly nose into my dreams?"

The god raised an eyebrow. A little spark caught fire in his beard. Then he threw back his head and laughed so loudly, the tools rattled on the workbenches. "You sound just like her," Hephaestus said. "I miss Esperanza."

"Yeah, well, she's been dead seven years." Leo's voice trembled. "Not that you'd care."

"But I do care, boy. About both of you."

"Uh-huh. Which is why I never saw you before today."

The god made a rumbling sound in his throat, but he looked more uncomfortable than angry. "I'm not good with children," the god confessed. "Or people. Well, any organic life forms, really. But I've been watching you. I'm always keeping an eye on you, Leo. But talking to you is, um... different."

"You're scared," Leo realized.

"Grommets and gears!" the god yelled. "Of course not!"

"Yeah, you're scared." Leo's anger seeped away. Maybe Hephaestus was still a jerk, but Leo kind of understood about hiding out in a workshop rather than trying to deal with organic life forms. "So... you keep track of all your kids?"

Hephaestus might've blushed, but his face was so beat up and red, it was hard to tell. "I try to keep an eye on all my children, but you especially."

"Huh. And why contact me now? I thought the gods had gone silent."

"We have," Hephaestus grumbled. "Zeus's orders—very strange, even for him. He's blocked all visions, dreams, and Iris-messages to and from Olympus. Hermes is sitting around bored out of his mind because he can't deliver the mail. If Zeus knew I was contacting you, he'd have my hide."

"Why is Zeus being such a jerk?"

"Hrumph. He excels at that, boy. It was the second Titan War, I suppose, what got Zeus upset. We gods were... well, embarrassed. Don't think there's any other way to say it."

"But you won," Leo said.

The god grunted. "We won because our children fought our battles for us, smarter than we did. If we'd relied on Zeus's plan, we would've all gone down to Tartarus fighting the storm giant Typhon, and Kronos would've won. Bad enough mortals won our war for us, but then that young upstart, Andy Jackson—"

"The girl who's missing."

"Hmph. Yes. Her. She had the nerve to turn down our offer of immortality and tell us to pay better attention to our children. Er, no offense."

"Oh, how could I take offense? Please, go on ignoring me."

"Mighty understanding of you..." Hephaestus frowned, then sighed wearily. "That was sarcasm, wasn't it? Machines don't have sarcasm, usually. But as I was saying, the gods felt ashamed, shown up by mortals. At first, of course, we were grateful. But after a few months, those feelings turned bitter. We're gods, after all. We need to be admired, looked up to, held in awe and admiration."

"Even if you're wrong?"

"Especially then! And to have Jackson refuse our gift, as if being mortal were somehow better than being a god... well, that stuck in Zeus's craw. He decided it was high time we got back to traditional values. Gods were to be respected. Our children were to be seen and not visited. Olympus was closed. At least that was part of his reasoning. And, of course, we started hearing of bad things stirring under the earth."

"The giants, you mean. Monsters re-forming instantly. The dead rising again. Little stuff like that?"

"Aye, boy. Zeus thinks he can reverse the tide, lull the earth back to sleep as long as we stay quiet. None of us really believes that. And I don't mind saying, we're in no shape to fight another war. We barely survived the Titans. If we're repeating the old pattern, what comes next is even worse."

"The giants," Leo said. "Hera said demigods and gods had to join forces to defeat them. Is that true?"

"I hate to agree with my mother about anything, but yes. Those giants are tough to kill, boy. They're a different breed. What my blasted mother Hera is doing now—she's a meddling fool playing a dangerous game, but she's right about one thing: you demigods have to unite. That's the only way to open Zeus's eyes, convince the Olympians they must accept your help. And that's the only way to defeat what's coming. You're a big part of that, Leo. "

"Why me? Why claim me now? Why not before my mom died? Why didn't you find me earlier? Why didn't you warn me about this?" Leo's hand burst into flames.

Hephaestus regarded him sadly. "Hardest part, boy. Letting my children walk their own paths. Interfering doesn't work. The Fates make sure of that. As for the claiming, you were a special case. The timing had to be right. I can't explain it much more, but—" Leo's dream went fuzzy. "Blast, I can't talk much longer. Zeus is sensing an illegal dream. He is lord of the air, after all, including the airwaves. Just listen, boy: you have a role to play. The girls, Lena, is right: fire is a gift, not a curse. I don't give that blessing to just anyone. They'll never defeat the giants without you, much less the mistress they serve. She's worse than any god or Titan. Just be warned: along the way, you're going to lose some friends and some valuable tools. But that isn't your fault, Leo. Nothing lasts forever, not even the best machines. And everything can be reused."

"What do you mean? I don't like the sound of that."

"No, you shouldn't."

Then Leo snapped awake to Lena and Piper screaming. They spiraled through the dark in a free fall, still on the dragon's back, but Festus's hide was cold. His ruby eyes were dim.

"Not again!" Leo yelled.

He could barely hold on. The wind stung his eyes, but he managed to pull open the panel on the dragon's neck. He toggled the switches. He tugged the wires. The dragon's wings flapped once, but Leo caught a whiff of burning bronze. The drive system was overloaded. Festus didn't have the strength to keep flying. They had only seconds before they crashed.

"Lena!" he screamed. "Take Piper and fly out of here!"

"What?"

"We need to lighten the load! I might be able to reboot Festus, but he's carrying too much weight!"

"What about you?" Piper cried. "If you can't reboot him—"

"I'll be fine," Leo yelled. "Just follow me to the ground. Go!"

Lena grabbed Piper around the waist. They both unbuckled their harnesses, and in a flash they were gone—shooting into the air.

"Now," Leo said. "Just you and me, Festus—and two heavy cages. You can do it, boy!"

Leo talked to the dragon while he worked, falling at terminal velocity. He pulled a wire that he thought connected the dragon's nerve center to its head, hoping for a little wake-up jolt. Festus groaned—metal creaking inside his neck. His eyes flickered weakly to life, and he spread his wings. Their fall turned into a steep glide.

"Good!" Leo said. "Come on, big boy. Come on!"

They were still flying in way too hot, and the ground was too close. As they approached the lawn, spotlights along the fence fixed on them, blinding Leo. He heard bursts like tracer fire, the sound of metal being cut to shreds—and _BOOM_. Leo blacked out.

When Leo came to his senses, Lena and Piper were leaning over him. He was lying in the snow, covered in mud and grease. He spit a clump of frozen grass out of his mouth. "Where—"

"Lie still," Piper told him. "You rolled pretty hard when... when Festus..."

"Where is he?" Leo sat up, but his head felt like it was floating.

"Seriously, Leo," Lena said. "You could be hurt. You shouldn't—"

Leo pushed himself to his feet. Then he saw the wreckage. The dragon had disintegrated. His limbs were scattered across the lawn. Only his neck and head were somewhat intact.

"No, no, no," Leo ran to the dragon's head. The dragon's eyes flickered weakly. Oil leaked out of his ear. "But... you're the best thing I ever fixed," Leo reminded him. The dragon's head whirred its gears, as if it were purring. Lena and Piper stood next to him, but Leo kept his eyes fixed on the dragon.

The dragon clicked. Long creak. Two short clicks. Creak. Creak. Almost like a pattern… triggering an old memory in Leo's mind. Leo realized Festus was trying to say something. He was using Morse code, just like Leo's mom had taught him years ago. Leo listened more intently, translating the clicks into letters: a simple message repeating over and over.

 _Nothing lasts forever_ , Hephaestus had said. _And everything can be reused._

"Yeah," Leo said. "I understand. I will. I promise." The dragon's eyes went dark. Festus was gone.

"I'm so sorry, Leo," Lena said. "What did you promise Festus?"

Leo opened the dragon's head panel, just to be sure, but the control disk was cracked and burned beyond repair. "Something my dad told me," Leo said.

"Your dad talked to you?" Lena asked. "When?"

Leo didn't answer. He worked at the dragon's neck hinges until the head was detached. It weighed about a hundred pounds, but Leo managed to hold it in his arms. He looked up at the starry sky and said, "Take him back to the bunker, Dad. Please, until I can reuse him." The wind picked up, and the dragon's head floated out of Leo's arms like it weighed nothing. It flew into the sky and disappeared.

Piper looked at him in amazement. "He answered you?"

Leo could barely speak. He felt like a broken machine himself. He looked around. The large white mansion glowed in the center of the grounds. "Where are we?" he asked. "I mean, what city?"

"Omaha, Nebraska," Piper said. "I saw a billboard as we flew in. But I don't know what this mansion is. We came in right behind you, but as you were landing, Leo, I swear it looked like... I don't know..."

"Lasers," Leo said.

Lena whistled. "Some defense system. How are we even alive?"

"Festus," Leo said miserably. "He took the fire. The lasers sliced him to bits as he came in so they didn't focus on you. I led him into a death trap."

"You couldn't have known," Piper said. "He saved our lives again."

"But what now?" Lena said. "The main gates are locked, and I'm guessing I can't fly us out of here without getting shot down."

Leo looked up the walkway at the big white mansion. "Since we can't go out," he shrugged, "we'll have to go in."

* * *

There was a motion-activated trapdoor on the sidewalk, then lasers on the steps, then nerve gas dispenser on the porch railing, the pressure-sensitive poison spikes in the welcome mat, and of course the exploding doorbell. Leo deactivated all of them. It was like he could smell the traps, and he picked just the right tool out of his belt to disable them.

"You're amazing," Lena said.

Leo scowled as he examined the front door lock. "Yeah, amazing," he said. "Front door's already unlocked," he announced.

Piper stared at the door in disbelief. "It is? All those traps, and the door's unlocked?"

Leo turned the knob. The door swung open easily. He stepped inside without hesitation. Before Lena could follow, Piper caught her arm. "He's going to need some time to get over Festus. Don't take it personally."

"Yeah," Lena said. "Yeah, okay." But still she felt terrible after everything she had put her friends through. "Piper... Look, I know I was in a daze back in Chicago, but that stuff about your dad... if he's in trouble, I want to help. I don't care if it's a trap or not."

"Lena, you don't know what you're saying. Please... don't make me feel worse. Come on. We should stick together." She ducked inside.

Lena's first impression of the house: dark. As her eyes adjusted, she saw sofas arranged in a U in the middle of the room, with a central coffee table and one large chair at the far end. "Where's the light switch?" Her voice echoed alarmingly through the room.

"Don't see one," Leo said.

"Fire?" Piper suggested.

Leo held out his hand, but nothing happened. "It's not working," he said, sounding surprised.

"Your fire is out? Why?" Piper asked.

"Well, if I knew that—"

"Okay, okay," she said. "What do we do... explore?"

Leo shook his head. "After all those traps outside? Bad idea."

Lena's skin tingled. She hated being a demigod. "Leo's right," she said. "We're not separating again, not like in Detroit. It's a few hours until dawn," she guessed. "Too cold to wait outside. Let's bring the cages in and make camp in this room. Wait for daylight; then we can decide what to do."

Nobody offered a better idea, so they rolled in the cages with Coach Hedge and the storm spirits, then settled in. Lena studied the metal statues along the walls. They looked like Greek gods or heroes. The big chair at the other end of the table looked like a throne.

As for Coach Hedge, he was still frozen mid-shout, his cudgel raised. Leo was working on the cage, trying to open it with various tools, but the lock seemed to be giving him a hard time. "Get some sleep," Leo said to her. "It's your turn."

Piper had already curled up on the other sofa. Lena took a deep breath. "Leo, I'm sorry about that stuff I said in Chicago. That wasn't me. That's not how I feel. I think you're brilliant. I wish I could do half the things you can do."

Leo lowered his screwdriver. He looked at the ceiling and shook his head. "Please, I try very hard to be annoying, alright?" he said. "Don't insult my ability to annoy. And how am I supposed to resent you if you go apologizing? I'm a lowly mechanic. You're like the princess of the sky, daughter of the Lord of the Universe. Everyone's supposed to resent you, not just me."

Princess of the sky?"

"Sure, you're all... _bam!_ Lightning woman. And 'Watch me fly. I am the eagle that soars—'"

"Shut up, Valdez."

Leo managed a little smile. "See. I do annoy you."

"And I apologize for apologizing."

"Thank you." He went back to work, but the tension had eased between them. Leo still looked sad and exhausted, just not quite so angry. "Go to sleep, Lena," he ordered. "It's gonna take a few hours to get this goat man free. Then I still got to figure out how to make the winds a smaller holding cell, 'cause I am not lugging that canary cage to California."

"You did fix Festus, you know," Lena said. "Flawlessly. You gave him a purpose again. I think this quest was the high point of his life."

Leo just sighed. "I hope," he said. "Now, sleep. I want some time without you organic life forms."

Lena didn't argue. She closed her eyes and had a long, blissfully dreamless sleep. She only woke when the yelling started. Lena leaped to her feet. She wasn't sure what was more jarring, the full sunlight that now bathed the room, or the screaming satyr.

"Coach is awake," Leo said, which was kind of unnecessary. Gleeson Hedge was capering around on his furry hindquarters, swinging his club and yelling, "Die!" as he smashed the tea set, whacked the sofas, and charged at the throne.

"Coach!" Lena yelled.

Hedge turned, breathing hard. His eyes were so wild, Lena was afraid he might attack. "You're the new kid," Hedge said, lowering his club. "Lena." He looked at Leo, then Piper, who'd apparently also just woken up. "Valdez, McLean. What's going on? We were at the Grand Canyon. The _anemoi thuellai_ were attacking and..." He zeroed in on the storm spirit cage. "Die!"

"Whoa, Coach!" Leo stepped in his path, which was pretty brave, even though Hedge was six inches shorter. "It's okay. They're locked up. We just sprang you from the other cage."

"Cage? Cage? What's going on? Just because I'm a satyr doesn't mean I can't have you doing plank push-ups, Valdez!"

Lena cleared her throat. "Coach... Gleeson... um, whatever you want us to call you. You saved us at the Grand Canyon. You were totally brave."

"Of course I was!"

"The extraction team came and took us to Camp Half-Blood. We thought we'd lost you. Then we got word the storm spirits had taken you back to their... um, operator, Medea."

"That witch!" Hedge nodded, his eyes narrowing. "So! You were sent on a dangerous quest to rescue me. Excellent!"

"Um..." Piper got to her feet, holding out her hands so Coach Hedge wouldn't attack her. "Actually, we're on a quest for something else. We kind of found you by accident."

"Oh." The coach's spirits seemed to deflate, but only for a second. Then his eyes lit up again. "But there are no accidents! Not on quests. This was meant to happen! So, this is the witch's lair, eh? Why is everything gold?"

"Gold?" Lena looked around. From the way Leo and Piper caught their breath, she guessed they hadn't noticed yet either.

"Nice," Leo said. "No wonder they got so much security."

"This isn't—" Piper stammered. "This isn't Medea's place, Coach. It's some rich person's mansion in Omaha. We got away from Medea and crash-landed here."

"It's destiny, cupcakes!" Hedge insisted. "I'm meant to protect you. What's the quest?"

Before Lena could explain, a pudgy man in a white bathrobe stepped out with a golden toothbrush in his mouth. He had a white beard and donkey ears. He froze when he saw them, and the toothbrush fell out of his mouth. He glanced into the room behind him and called, "Son? Lit, come out here, please. There are strange people in the throne room."

Coach Hedge did the obvious thing. He raised his club and shouted, "Die!"

It took all three of them to hold back the satyr. "Whoa, Coach!" Lena said. "Bring it down a few notches."

A younger man charged into the room. He was dressed in pajama pants and he held a sword. Lit immediately zeroed in on Lena like she was the biggest threat, and stalked toward her, swinging his sword overhead.

"Hold on!" Piper stepped forward, trying for her best calming voice. "This is just a misunderstanding! Everything's fine." Lit stopped in his tracks, but he still looked wary.

It didn't help that Hedge was screaming, "I'll get them! Don't worry!"

"Coach," Lena pleaded, "they may be friendly. Besides, we're trespassing in their house."

"Thank you!" said the old man in the bathrobe. "Now, who are you, and why are you here?"

"Let's all put our weapons down," Piper said. "Coach, you first."

Hedge clenched his jaw. "What about a compromise? I'll kill them first, and if it turns out they were friendly, I'll apologize."

 _"No!"_ Piper insisted.

"Meh." Coach Hedge lowered his club.

Piper gave Lit a friendly sorry-about-that smile. Lit huffed and sheathed his sword. "You speak well, girl... fortunately for your friends, or I would've run them through."

"Appreciate it," Leo said. "I try not to get run through before lunchtime."

The old man in the bathrobe sighed, kicking the teapot that Coach Hedge had smashed. "Well, since you're here. Please, sit down. After all, you've seen me in my nightclothes. No sense observing formalities." He did his best to smile, though it looked a little forced. "Welcome to my humble home. I am King Midas."


	22. Game of Faith

HEEEEEEEELLOO!

I know, I know. I'm the worse person in the world. I neglected all of you for months. I deserve a good beating, it's true.

But I am back, full of good intentions, ready to finish this fanfic once and for all.

And I sincerely want to thank you for reading it, for writing to me, for telling me how much you enjoy this, for reminding me why I started this in the first place (and why it is so freaking important that I finish it), for making my days better with encouraging messages and requests of my return.

I am back.

Enjoy.

* * *

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part X — _And for one time in his life of power and control, he felt a twinge of fear for his immortal soul._

* * *

They found him where they'd left him. "Welcome back!" he called cheerfully. "I hear the flutter of nervous little wings. You've brought me my harpy?"

"She's here," Andy said. "But she's not yours."

Phineas' milky eyes fixed on a point just above Andy's head. "I see… Well, actually, I'm blind, so I don't see. Have you come to kill me, then? If so, good luck completing your quest."

"I've come to gamble."

The old man's mouth twitched. He leaned toward Andy. "A gamble—how interesting. Information in exchange for the harpy? Winner take all?"

"No," Andy said. "The harpy isn't part of the deal."

Phineas laughed. "Really? Perhaps you don't understand her value."

Hazel put her arm around Ella's wings. She seemed to be the only one who could touch the harpy without causing lots of screaming and twitching. Frank stayed at Andy's side. He held his spear ready, as if the old man might charge them. Andy brought out the ceramic vials.

"I have a different wager. We've got two flasks of gorgon's blood. One kills. One heals. They look exactly the same. Even we don't know which is which. If you choose the right one, it could cure your blindness."

Phineas held out his hands eagerly. "Let me feel them. Let me smell them."

"Not so fast," Andy said. "First you agree to the terms."

"Terms..." Phineas was breathing shallowly. "Prophecy and sight—I'd be unstoppable. I could own this city. I'd build my palace here, surrounded by food trucks. I could capture that harpy myself!"

"N-noo," Ella said nervously. "Nope, nope, nope!"

"Very well, child of land and sea, what are your terms?"

"You get to choose a vial," Andy said. "No uncorking, no sniffing before you decide."

"That's not fair! I'm blind."

"And I don't have your sense of smell," Andy countered. "You can hold the vials. And I'll swear on the River Styx that they look identical. They're exactly what I told you: gorgon's blood, one vial from the left side of the monster, one from the right. And I swear that none of us knows which is which."

Phineas stroked his beard. "So I choose which vial to drink. You have to drink the other one. We swear to drink at the same time."

"Right," Andy said.

"The loser dies, obviously," Phineas said. "That kind of poison would probably keep even me from coming back to life-for a long time, at least. My essence would be scattered and degraded. So I'm risking quite a lot."

"But if you win, you get everything," Andy said. "If I die, my friends will swear to leave you in peace and not take revenge. You'd have your sight back, which even Gaea won't give you."

The old man's expression soured. It was clear he resented being kept blind. "If I lose," he said, "I'll be dead, unable to give you information. How does that help you?"

"You write down the location of Alcyoneus's lair ahead of time," Andy suggested. "Keep it to yourself, but swear on the River Styx it's specific and accurate. You also have to swear that if you lose and die, the harpies will be released from their curse."

"Those are high stakes," Phineas grumbled. "You face death, Andy Jackson. Wouldn't it be easier just to hand over the harpy?"

"Easier, yes."

Phineas smiled slowly. "So you are starting to understand her worth. Once I have my sight, I'll capture her myself, you know. Whoever controls that harpy-well, I was a king once. This gamble could make me a king again."

"You're getting ahead of yourself," Andy said. "First I need to die. Do we have a deal?"

Phineas tapped his nose thoughtfully. "I can't foresee the outcome. Annoying how that works. A completely unexpected gamble—it makes the future cloudy. But I can tell you this, Andy Jackson: if you survive today, you're not going to like your future. A big sacrifice is coming, and you won't have the courage to make it. That will cost you dearly. It will cost the world dearly. It might be easier if you just choose the poison."

Andy felt unease. A big sacrifice. What did she have that she didn't have the courage to sacrifice? Certainly, considering what she was doing right now, it wasn't her own life. Then someone else's?

Frank and Hazel studied Andy's face with concern. She'd assured them the odds weren't as bad as fifty-fifty. She did have a plan.

"Do we have a deal?" she asked again.

Phineas grinned. "I swear on the River Styx to abide by the terms, just as you have described them. Frank Zhang, you're the descendant of an Argonaut. I trust your word. If I win, do you and your friend Hazel swear to leave me in peace, and not seek revenge?"

Frank's hands were clenched so tight Andy thought he might break his gold spear, but he managed to grumble, "I swear it on the River Styx."

"I also swear," Hazel said.

"Swear," Ella muttered. "'Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon.'"

Phineas laughed. "In that case, let's get started." Phineas scribbled something on a napkin and put it in his bathrobe pocket. "I swear this is the location of Alcyoneus's lair. Not that you'll live long enough to read it."

Andy drew her sword and swept all the food off the picnic table. Phineas sat on one side. Andy sat on the other. Phineas held out his hands.

"Let me feel the vials."

Andy gazed at the hills in the distance. She focused and sent her thoughts into the ground beneath her hoping the goddess was listening. _Okay, Gaea, I'm calling your bluff. You say I'm a valuable pawn. You say you've got plans for me, and you're going to spare me until I make it north. Who's more valuable to you—me, or this old man? Because one of us is about to die._

Phineas curled his fingers in a grasping motion. "Losing your nerve, Andy Jackson? Let me have them." Andy passed him the vials. The old man compared their weight. He ran his fingers along the ceramic surfaces. Then he set them both on the table and rested one hand lightly on each. A tremor passed through the ground—a mild earthquake, just strong enough to make Andy's teeth chatter. Ella cawed nervously. The vial on the left seemed to shake slightly more than the one on the right. Phineas grinned wickedly. He closed his fingers around the left-hand vial. "You are a fool, Andy Jackson, as you've been told before. I choose this one. Now we drink."

Andy took the vial on the right. Her teeth were chattering.

The old man raised his vial. "A toast to the children of Neptune."

 _Anthony_ , Andy thought. They both uncorked their vials and drank. Immediately, Andy doubled over, her throat burning. Her mouth tasted like gasoline.

"Oh, gods," Hazel said behind her.

"Nope!" Ella said. "Nope, nope, nope!"

Andy's vision blurred. She could see Phineas grinning in triumph, sitting up straighter, blinking his eyes in anticipation. "Yes!" he cried. "Any moment now, my sight will return!"

Andy felt like broken glass was working its way through her stomach, into her intestines. _Anthony_. She tried to picture him one last time, but the image had faded. Gone forever.

"Andy!" Frank gripped her shoulders. "Andy, you can't die!"

"Anthony..." she gasped for breath—and suddenly her vision cleared.

At the same moment, Phineas hunched over like he'd been punched. "You... you can't!" the old man wailed. "Gaea, you... you—" He staggered to his feet and stumbled away from the table, clutching his stomach. "I'm too valuable!" Steam came out of his mouth. "Unfair!" he screamed. "You tricked me!"

Andy rose unsteadily. She didn't feel cured of anything in particular. Her memory hadn't magically returned. But the pain had stopped. "No one tricked you," she said. "You made your choice freely, and I hold you to your oath." The blind king wailed in agony. He turned in a circle, steaming and slowly disintegrating until there was nothing left but an old, stained bathrobe and a pair of bunny slippers.

"Those," Frank said, "are the most disgusting spoils of war ever."

A woman's voice spoke in Andy's mind. _A gamble_. It was a sleepy whisper, with just a hint of grudging admiration. _You forced me to choose, yes. But do not press your luck._

Hazel prodded the robe with her sword. There was nothing underneath—no sign that Phineas was trying to re-form. She looked at Andy in awe. "That was either the bravest thing I've ever seen, or the stupidest."

"I think I've been told that before," And grumbled.

Frank shook his head in disbelief. "Andy, how did you know? I was so sure you had taken the poison."

"And I did," Andy said. "But Gaea reverted the effect. She wants me alive. She wants me to make it to Alaska. She thinks... I'm not sure. She thinks she can use me as part of her plan."

Frank stared in horror at the remains of the old man. "Gaea would kill her own servant rather than you? That's what you're saying?"

Andy crouched over the bathrobe and pulled the old man's note out of the pocket. It read: HUBBARD GLACIER. Andy handed the note to Hazel.

"I know where that is," she said. "It's pretty famous. But we've got a long, long way to go."

"Then we'd better get back to the boat," Andy said. "We're running out of time."

* * *

Even before she got on the boat, Hazel felt queasy.

As the boat sped down the Columbia River, Hazel helped Ella make a nest out of old books and they'd liberated from the library's recycling bin. They hadn't really planned on taking the harpy with them, but Ella acted like the matter was decided.

" _Friends_ ," she muttered. "'Ten seasons. 1994 to 2004.' Friends melt Phineas and give Ella jerky. Ella will go with her friends." Now she was roosting comfortably in the stern, nibbling bits of jerky and reciting random lines from Charles Dickens.

Andy knelt in the bow, steering them toward the ocean with her freaky mind-over-water powers. Hazel sat next to Frank on the center bench, their shoulders touching. Since they'd left camp, she saw him differently. He had more courage than she'd realized. He was the one looking out for her. She had to admit that the change was kind of nice.

"It's okay, Hazel," he said quietly. "My mom used to say you shouldn't try to carry a problem alone. But if you don't want to talk about it, that's okay."

Hazel took a shaky breath. She knew what he was referring to and she was afraid to get into the subject. The river widened into the ocean. The boat turned north. The sky started to darken, the sea turning the same rusty color as Ella's wings.

"You were right," she said, at last, "when you guessed I came back from the Underworld. I'm—I'm an escapee. I shouldn't be alive."

The story flooded out like from a broken dam. She explained how her mother had summoned Pluto and fallen in love with the god. She explained her mother's wish for all the riches in the earth, and how that had turned into Hazel's curse. She described her life in New Orleans. She described the Voice, and how Gaea had slowly taken over her mother's mind. She explained how they had moved to Alaska, how Hazel had helped to raise the giant Alcyoneus, and how she had died, sinking the island into Resurrection Bay.

She knew Andy and Ella were listening, but she spoke mostly to Frank. When she had finished, she was afraid to look at him. She waited for him to move away from her, maybe tell her she was a monster. Instead, he took her hand. "You sacrificed yourself to stop the giant from waking. I could never be that brave."

"It wasn't bravery. I let my mother die. I cooperated with Gaea too long. I almost let her win."

"Hazel," said Andy. "You stood up to a goddess all by yourself. You did the right..." her voice trailed off, as if she'd had an unpleasant thought. "What happened in the Underworld? I mean, after you died? You should've gone to Elysium. But if Nico brought you back—"

"I didn't go to Elysium." Her mouth felt dry as sand. "Please don't ask..." But it was too late. She remembered, and her consciousness began to slip.

"Hazel?" Frank asked.

" _'Slip Sliding Away,'_ " Ella muttered. "Number five U.S. single. Paul Simon. Frank, go with her. Simon says, Frank, go with her."

Hazel had no idea what Ella was talking about, but her vision darkened as she clung to Frank's hand. She found herself back in the Underworld, standing before the three black-robed figures in golden masks. Just as before, the judges asked her no questions. They simply looked into her mind.

"The mother influenced her," said the first judge. "The child can have Elysium. Eternal Punishment for Marie Levesque."

"No!" Hazel shouted. "No, please! That's not fair!"

The judges tilted their heads in unison. "Beware, Hazel Levesque," the first judge warned. "Would you take full responsibility? You could lay this guilt on your mother's soul. That would be reasonable. You were destined for great things. Your mother diverted your path. Elysium for you. Punishment for your mother."

"No," Hazel said again. "No, it wasn't all her fault. She was misled. She loved me. At the end, she tried to protect me."

Finally the second judge sighed. "No resolution. Not enough good. Not enough evil."

"The blame must be divided," the first judge agreed. "Both souls will be consigned to the Fields of Asphodel. I'm sorry, Hazel Levesque. You could have been a hero."

The vision changed. Nico di Angelo stood over her in his black overcoat, his Stygian iron sword at his side. "You're different," he said. "A child of Pluto. You remember your past."

"Yes," Hazel said. "And you're alive."

Nico studied her. "I'm Nico di Angelo," he said. "I came looking for my sister. Death has gone missing, so I thought—I thought I could bring her back and no one would notice."

"Back to life?" Hazel asked. "Is that possible?"

"For now." Nico sighed. "But she's gone. She chose to be reborn into a new life. I'm too late."

"I'm sorry."

He held out his hand. "You're my sister too. You deserve another chance. Come with me."

Then Andy was shaking her shoulder.

Hazel sat up groggily, eyes half-closed. "Frank?"

Frank groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Did we just—was I just—?"

"You both passed out," Andy said. "I don't know why, but Ella told me not to worry about it. She said you were... sharing?"

"Sharing," Ella agreed. "Sharing is good. No more blackouts. Biggest American blackout, August 14, 2003. Hazel shared. No more blackouts."

Andy scratched her head. "Yeah… we've been having conversations like that all night. I still don't know what she's talking about."

Hazel gazed over the water. They were sailing through a large bay, making their way toward a cluster of downtown buildings. Neighborhoods rolled across a series of hills. She took a deep breath and decided Andy deserved a full explanation. She told her everything.

"She gave up Elysium," Frank said in amazement, "so her mother wouldn't suffer."

"She didn't deserve Punishment," Hazel said.

Andy glanced at her with respect. "Did you ever see your mother again?"

Hazel shook her head. "She wouldn't know me, even if I could've found her. The spirits... it was like an eternal dream for them, an endless trance."

"You didn't deserve Asphodel," Frank protested. "You should be with the heroes. Your life was taken from you. You were going to grow up to be a beautiful woman. You..." His face turned a darker shade of purple. "You were going to marry someone," he said quietly. "You would have had a good life. You lost all that."

Hazel swallowed back a sob. "I'm sorry, Frank," she said. "I think your mother was wrong. Sometimes sharing a problem doesn't make it easier to carry."

"But it does." Frank slipped his hand into his coat pocket. "In fact, there's something I want to tell you both." He brought out an object wrapped in cloth, about the same size as a pair of glasses. When he unfolded it, Hazel saw a half-burned piece of driftwood, glowing with purple light.

Hazel frowned. "What is—" Then the truth hit her, as cold and harsh as a blast of winter wind. "Phineas said your life depends on a burned stick..."

"It's true," Frank said. "This is my lifeline, literally." He told them how the goddess Juno had appeared when he was a baby, how his grandmother had snatched the piece of wood from the fireplace. "Grandmother said I had gifts—some talent we got from our ancestor, the Argonaut. That, and my dad's being Mars..." he shrugged. "I'm supposed to be too powerful or something. That's why my life can burn up so easily. Iris said I would die holding this, watching it burn." Frank turned the piece of tinder in his fingers.

"Frank, how can you carry it around with you?" she asked. "Aren't you terrified something will happen to it?"

"That's why I'm telling you." He held out the firewood. "I know it's a lot to ask, but would you keep it for me?"

Hazel's head spun. "Frank," she said, "you know who I am. I'm Pluto's daughter. Everything I touch goes wrong. Why would you trust me?"

"You're my best friend." He placed the firewood in her hands. "I trust you more than anybody." He glanced at Andy. "No offense."

She smiled. "None taken."

Hazel wanted to tell him he was making a mistake. She wanted to give it back. But before she could say anything, Ella spoke. "No more blackouts. More books for Ella. Books in Seattle."

* * *

Andy steered the boat toward the downtown docks. It was a bright, sunny day, and Seattle looked like a beautiful place.

"Um, why are we stopping here?" Hazel asked.

Andy showed them the silver ring on her necklace. "Reyna has a sister here. She asked me to find her and show her this."

"Reyna has a sister?" Frank asked, like the idea terrified him.

Andy nodded. "Apparently Reyna thinks her sister could send help for the camp."

"Amazons," Ella muttered. "Amazon country. Hmm. Ella will find libraries instead. Doesn't like Amazons. Fierce. Shields. Swords. Pointy. Ouch."

Frank reached for his spear. "Amazons? Like… female warriors?"

"That would make sense," Hazel said. "If Reyna's sister is also a daughter of Bellona, I can see why she'd join the Amazons. But... is it safe for us to be here?"

"Nope, nope, nope," Ella said. "No Amazons."

"We have to try," Andy said. "I promised Reyna. Besides, the Pax isn't doing too great. I've been pushing it pretty hard."

Hazel looked down at her feet. Water was leaking between the floorboards. "Oh."

"Yeah," Andy agreed. "We'll either need to fix it or find a new boat. I'm pretty much holding it together with my willpower at this point. Ella, do you have any idea where we can find the Amazons?"

"And, um," Frank said nervously, "they don't, like, kill men on sight, do they?"

Ella glanced at the downtown docks, only a few hundred yards away. "Ella will find friends later. Ella will fly away now." And she did.

"Well..." Frank picked a single red feather out of the air. "That's not encouraging."


	23. The Price of Gold

Act I — **T** **o The World Of Skies**

Part XIII — _Back to who I was, on to find my future, things my heart still needs to know..._

* * *

"By the gods, is everyone back from the dead?" Leo exclaimed. "We should write a complaint. No offense."

The king reclined on his throne. Lit stood behind him, both hands on his sword, glancing at Piper and flexing his muscular arms just to be annoying.

"What our friend means, Your Majesty," said Piper, "is that you're the second mortal we've met who should be... sorry... dead."

"Interesting. You know," the king said, "I think I was a bit dead for a while. It's strange. Seems like a dream, doesn't it, Lit? And yet, now we're here. I'm enjoying myself very much. I like being alive better."

"But how?" Piper asked. "You didn't happen to have a... patron?"

Midas hesitated, but there was a sly twinkle in his eyes. "Does it matter, my dear?"

"We could kill them again," Hedge suggested.

"Coach, not helping," Lena said. "Why don't you go outside and stand guard?"

Leo coughed. "Is that safe? They've got some serious security."

"Oh, yes," the king said. "Sorry about that." He fished a remote control out of his bathrobe pocket and pressed a few buttons; a passcode, Lena guessed. "There," Midas said. "Safe to go out now."

Coach Hedge grunted. "Fine."

After the satyr left, Piper tried another diplomatic smile. "So... you don't know how you got here?"

"Oh, well, yes. Sort of," the king said. "I was told there was an oracle in Omaha." He shrugged. "Apparently I was mistaken. But good house. Lit... it's short for Lityerses, by the way... horrible name, but his mother insisted... Lit has plenty of wide-open space to practice his swordplay. He has quite a reputation for that. They called him the Reaper of Men back in the old days."

"So..." Lena said. "Um, you sell gold?"

"No, no," the king said. "I make it."

But..." Piper shook her head in confusion. "Your Majesty, you gave up the golden touch, didn't you? You got it from some god—"

"Dionysus," the king agreed. "I'd rescued one of his satyrs, and in return, the god granted me one wish. I chose the golden touch."

"But you accidentally turned your own daughter to gold," Piper remembered. "And you realized how greedy you'd been. So you repented."

"Repented!" King Midas looked at Lit incredulously. "You're away for a few thousand years, and the story gets twisted all around. My dear girl, did those stories ever say I'd lost my magic touch?"

"Well, I guess not. They just said you learned how to reverse it with running water, and you brought your daughter back to life."

"That's all true. Sometimes I still have to reverse my touch. There's no running water in the house because I don't want accidents"—he gestured to his statues—"but we chose to live next to a river just in case. Occasionally, I'll forget and pat Lit on the back..."

Lit retreated a few steps. "I hate that."

"I told you I was sorry, son. At any rate, gold is wonderful. Why my dear, may I see your backpack for a moment? Toss it here." Piper dumped everything out of the pack and tossed it to Midas. As soon as he caught it, the pack turned to gold. It still looked flexible and soft, but definitely gold. The king tossed it back. "As you see, I can still turn anything to gold. That pack is magic now, as well. Go ahead, put your little storm spirit enemies in there."

"Seriously?" Leo was suddenly interested. He took the bag from Piper and held it up to the cage. The door of the prison flew open and the winds got vacuumed straight into the pack. Leo zipped it shut and grinned. "Gotta admit. That's cool."

"You see?" Midas said. "And honestly, my daughter Zoe was much more pleasant as a gold statue."

"She talked a lot," Lit offered.

"Exactly! And so I turned her back to gold." Midas pointed at a golden statue of a girl with a shocked expression. "She doesn't mind. Gold has many uses, you see? I think that must be why I was brought back, eh Lit? To bankroll our patron."

"So you do have a patron," Lena said. "You work for the giants."

King Midas waved his hand dismissively. "Well, I don't care for giants myself, of course. But even supernatural armies need to get paid. I do owe my patron a great debt. I tried to explain that to the last group that came through, but they were very unfriendly. Wouldn't cooperate at all."

Lena slipped her hand into her pocket and grabbed her gold coin. "The last group?"

"Hunters," Lit snarled. "Blasted girls from Artemis."

Lena felt a spark of electricity: _her sister had been here._ "When?" she demanded. "What happened?"

Lit shrugged. "Few days ago? I didn't get to kill them, unfortunately. They were looking for some evil wolves, or something. Said they were following a trail, heading west. Missing demigod... I don't recall."

 _Andy Jackson_ , Lena thought. Anthony had mentioned the Hunters were looking for her.

"Very unpleasant young ladies, those Hunters," Midas recalled. "They absolutely refused to be turned into gold."

Lena stood warily and glanced at her friends. They got the message.

"Well," Piper said, managing a smile. "It's been a great visit. Welcome back to life. Thanks for the gold bag."

"Oh, but you can't leave!" The king rose, and Leo and Piper moved away from him. "Don't worry. You don't have to be turned to gold. I give all my guests a choice: join my collection, or die at the hands of Lityerses. Really, it's good either way."

Piper tried to use her charmspeak. "Your Majesty, you can't..." Quicker than any old man should've been able to move, Midas lashed out and grabbed her wrist.

"No!" Lena yelled. But a frost of gold spread over Piper, and in a heartbeat she was a glittering statue. Leo tried to summon fire, but he'd forgotten his power wasn't working. Midas touched his hand, and Leo transformed into solid metal. Lena was so horrified she couldn't move.

Midas smiled apologetically. "Gold trumps fire, I'm afraid. In this room, my power dampens all others: fire, charmspeak..."

"Hedge!" Lena yelled. "Need help in here!" But the satyr didn't charge in.

Midas chuckled. "No goat to the rescue? Sad. But don't worry, my girl. It's really not painful. Lit can tell you."

Lena fixed on an idea. "I choose combat. You said I could choose to fight Lit instead."

Midas looked mildly disappointed, but he shrugged. "I said you could die fighting Lit. But of course, if you wish." The king backed away, and Lit raised his sword.

Lena summoned her own weapon. This time it came up as a javelin, and she was glad for the extra length. Lit charged. The guy was fast. He slashed and sliced, and Lena could barely dodge the strikes, but her mind went into a different mode, analyzing patterns, learning Lit's style, which was all offense, no defense. Lena countered, sidestepped, and blocked.

"What is that style?" Lit growled. "You don't fight like a Greek."

"That's Roman style, loser." Lena spun on one heel, smacked Lit in the chest with the butt of her javelin, and sent him toppling into Midas's throne.

"Oh, dear," Midas said. "Lit?"

"You'd better help him up," Lena said.

Lit cried, "Dad, no!" Too late. Midas put his hand on his son's shoulder, and suddenly a very angry-looking gold statue was sitting on Midas's throne.

"Curses!" Midas wailed. "That was a naughty trick, demigod. I'll get you for that." Midas raced forward. Lena dodged, but the old man was fast, too. She kicked the coffee table into the old man's legs and knocked him over, but Midas wouldn't stay down for long.

Then Lena glanced at Piper's golden statue. She felt a tugging sensation in her gut, and the air pressure dropped so rapidly that her ears popped. Midas must've felt it too, because he stumbled to his feet and grabbed his donkey ears.

"Ow! What are you doing?" he demanded. "My power is supreme here!"

Thunder rumbled. Outside, the sky turned black. "You know, gold is an excellent conductor of electricity," she warned him. Lena raised her javelin, and the ceiling exploded. A lightning bolt ripped through the roof like it was an eggshell, connected with the tip of her spear, and sent out arcs of energy that blasted the sofas to shreds. Chunks of ceiling plaster crashed down.

When the rumbling stopped, freezing rain poured into the building. Piper and Leo were slowly changing too, along with the other statues in the room. Then the front door burst open, and Coach Hedge charged in, club ready. "What'd I miss?" he asked.

"Where were you?" Lena demanded. "I was screaming for help."

Hedge belched. "Getting a snack. Sorry. Who needs killing?"

"No one, now," she said. "Just grab Leo. I'll get Piper."

Midas, who had been struck by the lightning, was wailing on the floor. All around him the statues of his victims were turning to flesh, his daughter, his barber, and a whole lot of angry-looking guys with swords.

Lena grabbed Piper's golden bag and her own supplies. "Let's get out of here," she told Hedge. "I think these guys will want some quality time with Midas and Lit."

* * *

Piper woke up cold and shivering. Lena leaned over and tucked a warm blanket around her. She blinked, trying to figure out where they were. Next to her, a campfire blazed. They were in a shallow cave, but it didn't offer much protection. Outside, the wind howled.

"L-L-Leo?" Piper managed.

"Present and un-gold-ified." Leo was also wrapped in blankets. "I got the precious metal treatment too," he said. "But I came out of it faster. Dunno why. We had to dunk you in the river to get you back completely. Tried to dry you off, but... it's really, really cold."

"You've got hypothermia," Lena said. "We risked as much nectar as we could. Coach Hedge did a little nature magic—"

"Sports medicine." The coach's ugly face loomed over her. "Kind of a hobby of mine. Your breath might smell like wild mushrooms and Gatorade for a few days, but it'll pass. You probably won't die. Probably."

"Thanks," Piper said weakly. "How did you beat Midas?" Lena told her the story and Piper was full of pride, but instead of showing it, she asked: "Where are we?"

"Pikes Peak," Lena said. "Colorado."

"But that's, what... five hundred miles from Omaha?"

"Something like that," Lena agreed. "I harnessed the storm spirits to bring us this far. They didn't like it... went a little faster than I wanted, almost crashed us into the mountainside before I could get them back in the bag. I'm not going to be trying that again."

"Why are we here?"

Leo sniffed. "That's what I asked her."

Lena gazed into the storm as if watching for something. "That glittery wind trail we saw yesterday? It was still in the sky, though it had faded a lot. I followed it until I couldn't see it anymore. Then... honestly I'm not sure. I just felt like this was the right place to stop."

"'Course it is." Coach Hedge spit out some cudgel splinters. "Aeolus's floating palace should be anchored above us, right at the peak. This is one of his favorite spots to dock."

"Maybe." Lena knit her eyebrows. "I don't know. Something else, too..." Piper shrugged and Lena sat next to her. "Let me warm you." She put her arms around Piper and held her.

"So, guys, long as you're cuddled up for story time... something I've been meaning to tell you," Leo said. "On the way to Omaha, I had this dream. My dad talked to me." He told them about it.

"But," said Piper, "if demigods and gods have to work together, why would the gods stay silent?"

"The gods hate needing humans," said Coach Hedge. "Things will have to get a whole lot worse before Zeus admits he made a mistake closing Olympus."

"There's more," Lena said. "When I dreamed about Hera, she said Zeus was acting unusually paranoid. And Hera said she went to those ruins because a voice had been speaking in her head. What if someone's influencing the gods?"

"Yeah, Hephaestus said something similar," Leo said. "But what bothered me was the stuff he didn't say. He acted like getting the greatest demigods together was going to be almost impossible, like Hera was trying, but it was a really stupid thing to do."

Lena shifted. Piper could feel the tension in her arms. "Chiron was the same way back at camp. He mentioned a sacred oath."

They were all quiet after that, thoughtful. Gradually, Piper started to feel warmer. She stopped shivering and settled against Lena's chest. She didn't want to move, talk, or do anything to disrupt the moment. But she had to. It was time. She'd made a promise to help on this quest. Her friends were counting on her. They'd saved her when Midas had turned her to gold. They'd brought her back to life. She couldn't repay them with lies.

"We need to talk. I don't want to hide anything from you anymore." They looked at her with concern. "Three nights before the Grand Canyon trip... I had a dream... a giant, Enceladus, telling me my father had been taken hostage. He told me I had to cooperate, or my dad would be killed."

"What else?" asked Lena.

"To get my dad back, I had to sabotage this quest. I didn't realize it would be the three of us. Then after we started the quest, Enceladus sent me another warning: he wanted you two dead. He wants me to lead you to a mountain. I don't know exactly which one, but it's in the Bay Area. I have to be there by noon on the solstice, tomorrow. An exchange."

She couldn't meet her friends' eyes. Lena scooted next to her. "God, Piper. I'm so sorry."

Leo nodded. "No kidding. You've been carrying this around for a week? Piper, we could help you." She glared at them. Leo sat on her other side and said: "Do I get a hug too?"

"I've probably just killed my dad, telling you this," she cried.

"I doubt it." Coach Hedge belched. "Giant hasn't gotten what he wants yet, so he still needs your dad for leverage. He'll wait until the deadline passes, see if you show up. He wants you to divert the quest to this mountain, right?" Piper nodded uncertainly. "So that means Hera is being kept somewhere else and she has to be saved by the same day. So you have to choose: rescue your dad, or rescue Hera."

"So we have no choice," she said miserably. "We have to save Hera, or the giant king gets unleashed. That's our quest. The world depends on it. And Enceladus will know if we change course and go the wrong way."

"We won't let Enchiladas kill your dad," Leo said. "We'll save him."

"We don't have time!" Piper cried.

"We're your friends, Princess of Sparta," Leo said. "We're not going to let your dad die. We just gotta figure out a plan."

Coach Hedge grumbled. "Would help if we knew where this mountain was. Maybe Aeolus can tell you that. The Bay Area has a bad reputation for demigods. Old home of the Titans, Mount Othrys, sits over Mount Tam, where Atlas holds up the sky. I hope that's not the mountain you saw."

"I don't think so. This was inland."

Lena frowned at the fire, like she was trying to remember something. "Bad reputation... that doesn't seem right. The Bay Area..."

"You think you've been there?" Piper asked.

"I..." Anguish came back into her eyes. "I don't know. Hedge, what happened to Mount Othrys?"

"Well, Kronos built a new palace there last summer. Big nasty place, was going to be the headquarters for his new kingdom and all. Weren't any battles there, though. Kronos marched on Manhattan, tried to take Olympus. If I remember right, he left some other Titans in charge of his palace, but after Kronos got defeated in Manhattan, the whole palace just crumbled on its own."

"No," Lena said. Everyone looked at her. "That's not what happened. I—" She tensed, looking toward the cave entrance. "Did you hear that?"

For a second, nothing. Then Piper heard it: howls piercing the night. "Wolves. They sound close."

Lena rose and summoned her sword. The others got to their feet too. Then, just outside the firelight at the entrance of the cave, she saw a pair of red eyes glowing in dark. More wolves edged into the firelight. The one in front was almost as tall as a horse. Piper pulled her dagger out of its sheath. Then Lena stepped forward and said something in Latin. The alpha wolf curled his lip. The fur stood up along his spine. Then all of the wolves backed into the dark.

"Dude, I gotta study Latin," said Leo's.

The wolves didn't attack. They waited. At least a dozen blocking the cave exit.

The coach hefted his club. "Here's the plan. I'll kill them all, and you guys escape."

"Coach, they'll rip you apart," Piper said.

"Nah, I'm good."

Then the alpha changed into a man. His hair was greasy and ragged. His robes were tattered fur. His teeth were sharpened like fangs. His eyes glowed bright red like his wolves', and they fixed on Lena with absolute hatred.

" _Ecce_ ," he said, " _filia Romani._ "

"Speak English, wolf man!" Hedge bellowed.

The wolf man snarled. "Tell your faun to mind his tongue, daughter of Rome. Now, let's see. Daughter of Aphrodite. Son of Hephaestus. A faun. And the daughter of Jupiter, no less. All together, without killing each other. How unusual. We've been patrolling for you all across the west, demigods, hoping we'd be the first to find you. The giant king will reward me well when he rises. I am Lycaon, king of the wolves. And my pack is hungry."

The wolves snarled in the darkness. Out of the corner of her eye, Piper saw Leo put up his hammer and slip something else from his tool belt, a glass bottle full of clear liquid.

"If I had my way," Lycaon said with regret, "I'd kill you first, child of sky and storm. Your father made me what I am. I was the powerful mortal king of Arcadia, with fifty fine sons, and Zeus slew them all with his lightning bolts."

"For good reason!" Coach Hedge said.

Lena glanced over her shoulder. "Coach, you know this clown?"

"I do," Piper said suddenly. "Lycaon invited Zeus to dinner, but the king wasn't sure it was really Zeus. So to test his powers, Lycaon tried to feed him human flesh. Zeus got outraged—"

"And killed my sons!" Lycaon howled.

"So Zeus turned him into a wolf," Piper said.

"The king of wolves," Coach Hedge finished.

"Sadly, Child of Rome, you are spoken for," Lycaon told Lena. "Since the daughter of Aphrodite has failed to kill you, you are to be delivered alive to the Wolf House. One of my compatriots has asked for the honor of killing you herself."

"Who?" Lena said.

The wolf king snickered. "Oh, a great admirer of yours. Apparently, you made quite an impression on her. She will take care of you soon enough, and really I cannot complain. Spilling your blood at the Wolf House should mark my new territory quite well. Lupa will think twice about challenging my pack."

Piper's heart was hammering in her chest. The cave seemed to spin. "You're going to leave now," she said, "before we destroy you." She tried to put power into the words, but she was too weak.

Lycaon's red eyes crinkled with humor. "A brave try. I admire that. Perhaps I'll make your end quick. Only the daughter of Jupiter is needed alive. The rest of you will die."

Lena took a step forward. "You're not killing anyone. Not without going through me."

Lycaon howled and extended his claws. Lena slashed at him, but her golden sword passed straight through as if the wolf king wasn't there. Lycaon laughed. "Gold, bronze, steel... none of these are any good against my wolves, son of Jupiter."

"Silver is!" Piper cried.

"We don't have any silver!" Lena said.

Wolves leaped into the firelight. Hedge charged forward with an elated 'Woot!'

But Leo struck first. He threw his glass bottle and it shattered on the ground, splattering liquid all over the wolves: the unmistakable smell of gasoline. He shot a burst of fire at the puddle, and a wall of flames erupted. Wolves yelped and retreated. Several caught fire and had to run back into the snow.

"Aw, c'mon," Coach Hedge complained. "I can't hit them if they're way over there."

Every time a wolf came closer, Leo shot a new wave of fire from his hands, but each effort seemed to make him a little more tired, and the gasoline was already dying down. "I can't summon any more gas!" Leo warned. Then his face turned red. "Wow, that came out wrong."

Lycaon laughed. "I can smell your fear. A few more minutes of life. Pray to whatever gods you wish. Zeus did not grant me mercy, and you will have none from me."

The flames began to sputter out. Lena cursed and dropped her sword ready to go hand-to-hand. Leo pulled his hammer. Piper raised her dagger and Coach Hedge hefted his club.

Then a ripping sound cut through the wind, like a piece of tearing cardboard. A long stick sprouted from the neck of the nearest wolf: the shaft of a silver arrow. The wolf writhed and fell, melting into a puddle of shadow.

More arrows. More wolves fell. The pack broke in confusion. "Curse them!" Lycaon yelled. He growled at his pack, and the wolves turned and ran. Lycaon fixed Lena with those glowing red eyes. "This isn't over." The wolf king disappeared into the night.

A heartbeat later a troop of hunters appeared. All of them carried bows, with quivers of glowing silver arrows on their backs. Their faces were covered with parka hoods, but clearly they were all girls. One, a little taller than the rest, said, "Follow Lycaon. We can't lose him now. I'll catch up with you."

The other hunters mumbled agreement and disappeared, heading after Lycaon's pack. The girl in white turned toward them, her face still hidden in her parka hood.

"We've been following that demon's trail for over a week. Is everyone alright? No one got bit?"

Lena stood frozen, staring at the girl. "It's you," she whispered. "Thalia."

The girl tensed. She pulled down her parka hood. Her hair was spiky black, with a silver tiara across her brow. Her face had a super-healthy glow to it, as if she were a little more than human, and her eyes were brilliant blue, just like Lena's.

"Do I know you?" Thalia asked.

"Thalia," Lena said again, sounding happier than she ever had before. "It's me. Lena. Your sister."


	24. Amazon War

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part XI — _Everybody know that's just a temporary state which is cured very quickly when we meet our fate_.

* * *

They docked at the wharf. They barely had time to unload their supplies before the boat shuddered and broke into pieces. Most of it sank.

"Guess we're not fixing it," Hazel said. "What now?"

Andy stared at the steep hills of downtown Seattle. "We hope the Amazons will help."

They explored for hours but they didn't find the Amazons. Finally they wandered south of downtown, into a plaza surrounded by smaller glass and brick buildings. Hazel's nerves started tingling. She looked around, sure she was being watched.

"There," she said. The office building on their left had a single word etched on the glass doors: AMAZON.

"Oh," Frank said. "Uh, no, Hazel. That's a modern thing. They're a company, right? They sell stuff on the Internet. They're not actually Amazons."

"Unless..." Andy walked through the doors. Hazel had a bad feeling about this place, but she and Frank followed.

In the lobby stood a young woman in a black pantsuit, with long auburn hair and a security guard's earpiece. Her name tag said Kinzie. "May I help you?" she asked.

"Um... I hope so," Hazel said. "We're looking for Amazons."

"This is the main campus for Amazon," she said cautiously. "Did you have an appointment with someone, or—"

"Hylla," Andy interrupted. "We're looking for a girl named—"

Kinzie moved so fast, Hazel's eyes almost couldn't follow. She kicked Frank in the chest and sent him flying backward across the lobby. She pulled a sword out of thin air, swept Andy off her feet with the flat of the blade, and pressed the point under her chin. Too late, Hazel reached for her sword. A dozen more girls in black flooded up the staircase, swords in hand, and surrounded them.

Kinzie glared down at Andy. "Trespassing on our territory is punishable by death. You'll meet Queen Hylla, alright. She'll be the one deciding your fate."

The Amazons confiscated the trio's weapons and marched them down so many flights of stairs, Hazel lost count. They walked so far, Hazel's feet began to hurt. She thought they must surely be getting to the end of the warehouse when Kinzie opened a large set of double doors and led them into another cavern.

"The Underworld isn't this big," Hazel complained, which probably wasn't true, but it felt that way to her feet.

Kinzie smiled smugly. "Our distribution system is worldwide. It took many years and most of our fortune to build. Now, finally, we're turning a profit. The mortals don't realize they are funding the Amazon kingdom. Soon, we'll be richer than any mortal nation. Then—when the weak mortals depend on us for everything—the revolution will begin!"

"What are you going to do?" Frank grumbled. "Cancel free shipping?"

A guard slammed the hilt of her sword into his gut. Andy tried to help him, but two more guards pushed her back at sword point.

"Men do not speak without permission. You'll learn respect," Kinzie said. "It's males like you who have ruined the mortal world. The only harmonious society is one run by women. We are stronger, wiser—"

"Don't forget humble," Andy mumbled. The guards tried to hit her, but she ducked. "Ha! Missed me!"

Finally they entered a smaller cavern that looked like a combination of loading zone and throne room. At the base of the steps, several Amazons were having a heated argument while a young woman—Queen Hylla—watched and listened from her throne. Hazel knew immediately she was Hylla because of how much she resembled Reyna. Hylla was in her twenties, lithe and lean as a tiger. Around her waist was a strange belt made of interlocking gold links, like the pattern of a labyrinth.

Hazel stopped so abruptly, the guards behind her stumbled. A few feet from the queen's throne, two Amazons guarded a cage. Inside was a beautiful horse—not the winged kind, but a majestic and powerful stallion with a honey-colored coat and a black mane.

Kinzie scowled in annoyance, but when she saw where Hazel was looking, her expression softened. "Ah, yes. Beautiful, isn't he?"

Hazel blinked to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. She had seen that horse in Alaska; she was sure of it... but that was impossible. No horse could live that long. "Is he—" Hazel could hardly control her voice. "Where—?"

The guards all laughed.

"That's Arion," Kinzie said patiently, as if she understood Hazel's fascination. "He's a royal treasure of the Amazons—to be claimed only by our most courageous warrior, if you believe the prophecy."

"Prophecy?" Hazel asked.

Kinzie's expression became pained, almost embarrassed. "Never mind."

"Why is he in a cage?"

Kinzie grimaced. "Because… he is difficult." Right on cue, the horse slammed his head against the cage door. The metal bars shuddered, and the guards retreated nervously.

Hazel wanted to free that horse. She wanted it more than anything she had ever wanted before. But Andy, Frank, and a dozen Amazon guards were staring at her, so she tried to mask her emotions. The argument at the front of the room grew louder. Finally the queen noticed Hazel's group approaching, and she snapped, "Enough!"

The arguing Amazons shut up immediately. The queen waved them aside and beckoned Kinzie forward. Kinzie shoved Hazel and her friends toward the throne. "My queen, these demigods—"

The queen shot to her feet. "You!" She glared at Andy with murderous rage.

Andy muttered something in Ancient Greek. "Clipboard," she said. "Spa. Pirates."

This made no sense to Hazel, but the queen nodded. She stepped down from her dais of best sellers and drew a dagger from her belt. "You were incredibly foolish to come here," she said. "You destroyed my home. You made my sister and me exiles and prisoners."

"Andy," Frank said uneasily. "What's the scary woman with the dagger talking about?"

"Circe's Island," Andy said. "I remembered! The Sea of Monsters. Hylla—you welcomed us at the docks, took us to see your boss. You worked for the sorceress." Andy looked so happy Hazel was afraid she would try to hug the Amazon Queen.

Hylla bared her perfect white teeth. "Are you telling me you've had amnesia? You know, I might actually believe you. Why else would you be stupid enough to come here?"

"We've come in peace," Hazel insisted. "What did Andy do?"

"Peace?" The queen raised her eyebrows at Hazel. "What did she do? She ruined a lot of lives for a boy!"

"In my defense, Circe turned him into a guinea pig!" Andy protested. "I think I had the right to—"

"Right!" Hylla exclaimed. "There aren't rights in what you call love. You are pathetic. Circe was wise and generous. We had everything! And you, Andy Jackson, you released our captives—Blackbeard and his pirates. Have you ever been kidnapped by pirates? It isn't fun. They burned our spa to the ground. My sister and I were their prisoners for months. Fortunately we were daughters of Bellona. We learned to fight quickly. If we hadn't..." She shuddered. "Well, the pirates learned to respect us. Eventually we made our way to California where we—" She hesitated as if the memory was painful. "Where my sister and I parted ways." She stepped toward Andy until they were nose-to-nose. She ran her dagger under Andy's chin. "Of course, I survived and prospered. I have risen to be queen of the Amazons. So perhaps I should thank you."

"You're welcome," Andy said.

The queen dug her knife in a little deeper. "Never mind. I think I'll kill you."

"Wait!" Hazel yelped. "Reyna sent us! Your sister! Show her the ring, Andy!"

Hylla frowned. She lowered her knife to Andy's necklace until the point rested on the silver ring. The color drained from her face. "Explain this." She glared at Hazel. "Quickly."

Hazel tried to be brief about it. "So we need your help," she finished the story. "More importantly, Reyna needs your help."

"Reyna… that foolish girl..." Hylla was muttering.

"Well!" an older woman interrupted. "Romans need our help?" She laughed, and the Amazons around her joined in. "How many times did we battle the Romans in my day? How many times have they killed our sisters in battle? When I was queen—"

"Otrera," Hylla interrupted, "you are here as a guest. You are not queen anymore."

The older woman spread her hands and made a mocking bow. "As you say—at least, until tonight. But I speak the truth, Queen Hylla." She said the word like a taunt. "I've been brought back by the Earth Mother herself! I bring tidings of a new war. Why should Amazons follow Jupiter, that foolish king of Olympus, when we can follow a queen? When I take command—"

"If you take command," Hylla said. "But for now, I am queen. My word is law."

"I see." Otrera looked at the assembled Amazons, who were standing very still, as if they'd found themselves in a pit with two wild tigers. "Will you spare the life of the daughter of Neptune, even though she once destroyed your home? Perhaps you'll let her destroy your new home, too!"

"I will pass judgment," Hylla said in an icy tone, "once I have all the facts. That is how I rule—by reason, not fear. First, I will talk with this one." She jabbed a finger toward Hazel. "It is my duty to hear out a female warrior before I sentence her or her allies to death." Hylla turned to Kinzie. "Take this two to the holding cells. The rest of you, leave us."

"You're not gonna talk to me?" Andy asked.

"After what you've done?"

"I'm sorry," Andy said, sounding genuine. "I never meant to destroy—"

"You chose a boy over everything else, Andy Jackson," Hylla interrupted. "You are weak and unworthy of my presence."

Kinzie sighed and dragged Andy and Frank away. Soon Hylla and Hazel were alone. The queen turned toward Hazel. Her anger dissolved, and Hazel saw desperation in her eyes. "We must talk," Hylla said. "We don't have much time. By midnight, I will most likely be dead. I believe you come in peace. I believe Reyna sent you."

"But you won't help?"

"It's complicated," she said. "Amazons have always had a rocky relationship with other demigods. At the very beginning of the Amazon nation, a hero named Bellerophon killed our first queen, Otrera."

"You mean the lady—"

"—who just left, yes. Otrera, our first queen, daughter of Ares. You see, we are a mix of Greek and Roman. I suppose they don't teach you about that at Camp Jupiter, but the gods have many aspects. They tend to accumulate personalities, a combination of all the cultures they've influenced over the eons."

Kinzie came back and bowed. "The prisoners are safely locked away," she reported. "But… Otrera made sure her followers are guarding the cells."

"So Gaea brought Otrera back from the dead to throw you Amazons into civil war?" Hazel asked.

The queen exhaled. "If that was her plan, it is working. Otrera plans to take back the throne and lead us to war against the Romans. Many of my sisters will follow her." The queen studied Hazel carefully. "I worked with the sorceress Circe for many years. I know a returned soul when I see one. When did you die?"

"Nineteen forty-two," Hazel said. "But—but I wasn't sent by Gaea. I came back to stop her. This is my second chance."

"Your second chance... I know about second chances. The girl—Andy Jackson—she destroyed my old life. You wouldn't have recognized me back then. Circe's island was a safe place for Reyna and me," the queen continued. "We were daughters of the war goddess, Bellona. I wanted to protect Reyna from all that violence. Then Andy Jackson unleashed the pirates. They kidnapped us, and Reyna and I learned to be tough. We found out that we were good with weapons. The past four years, I've wanted to kill Andy Jackson for what she made us endure."

"But Reyna became the praetor of Camp Jupiter," Hazel said. "You became the queen of the Amazons. Maybe this was your destiny."

"I may not be queen for much longer. You see, Hazel, Otrera has challenged me to a duel. Every Amazon has that right. Tonight at midnight, we'll battle for the throne."

"Even if you kill her," Hazel said, "she'll just come back. As long as Thanatos is chained, she won't stay dead."

"Exactly," Hylla said. "Otrera has already told us that she can't die. So even if I manage to defeat her tonight, she'll simply return and challenge me again tomorrow. There is no law against challenging the queen multiple times. She can insist on fighting me every night, until she finally wears me down. I can't win. We can die, you see, just like any mortal. There is a group of archers who follow the goddess Artemis. They are often mistaken for Amazons, but the Hunters forsake the company of men in exchange for almost endless life. We Amazons—we prefer to live life to the fullest. We love, we fight, we die."

"I thought you hated men."

"Yes." The queen grinned. "They are ridiculous beings. But we enjoy their company from time to time. We have love affairs. We don't fall in love like Andy Jackson. We wouldn't sacrifice to save men. We like to show them who's in charge. But that's beside the point. When I am killed in combat—and it's only a matter of time—Otrera will be queen. She will march to Camp Jupiter with our forces, but she will not go to help my sister. She'll go to join the giant's army."

"We've got to stop her," Hazel said. "Maybe we can help!"

The queen shook her head. "You can't interfere. As queen, I must fight my own battles. Besides, your friends are imprisoned. If I let them go, I'll look weak. Either I execute you three as trespassers, or Otrera will do so when she becomes queen."

Hazel's heart sank. "So I guess we're both dead. Me for the second time."

In the corner cage, the stallion Arion whinnied angrily. He reared and slammed his hooves against the bars. "The horse seems to feel your despair," the queen said. "Interesting. He's immortal, you know—the son of Neptune and Ceres. He's the fastest horse in the world. Pegasus is more famous, with his wings, but Arion runs like the wind over land and sea. No creature is faster. It took us years to capture him… but it did us no good. The horse will not allow anyone to ride him. And he is expensive to keep. He will eat anything, but he prefers gold."

The back of Hazel's neck tingled. "He eats gold?" She remembered the horse following her in Alaska so many years ago. She had thought he was eating nuggets of gold that appeared in her footsteps. Hazel knelt and pressed her hand against the floor. Immediately, the stone cracked. A chunk of gold ore the size of a plum was pushed out of the earth. Hazel stood, examining her prize.

Hylla and Kinzie stared at her. "How did you…?"

Hazel approached the stallion's cage. She put her hand between the bars, and Arion gingerly ate the chunk of gold from her palm.

"The last girl who tried that—" Kinzie said.

"Now has a metal arm," the queen finished. "Hazel... it was foretold that the most courageous female warrior would someday master Arion and ride him to victory, ushering in a new era of prosperity for the Amazons."

Hazel put her hand through the bars again and stroked Arion's nose. Queen Hylla looked from Hazel to the horse and back again.

"You have courage, Hazel Levesque," said Hylla. "And it seems Arion has chosen you." She glanced at Kinzie. "Alright, girls. Here's the plan. It would be embarrassing for Otrera if her followers failed in their duties—if, for instance, they were overcome by an outsider and a prison break occurred. Naturally, none of my guards would know a thing about this. Kinzie would not spread the word to allow an escape."

"Certainly not," Kinzie agreed.

"We can't help you." Hylla told Hazel. "But if you somehow overpowered the guards and freed your friends—if, for instance, you took one of the guards' Amazon cards—if something like that were to happen, you would find your friends' weapons and supplies in the guard station next to the cells. And if you made your way back to this throne room while I was off preparing for my duel… well, as I mentioned, Arion is a very fast horse. Take him. And if you succeed on your quest to free Thanatos—"

"—then Otrera wouldn't come back if she were killed," Hazel said. "You'd only have to defeat her... um, every night until we succeed."

The queen nodded grimly. "It seems we both have impossible tasks ahead of us."

"But you're trusting me," said Hazel. "And I trust you." They shook hands.

"This conversation never happened," Hylla told Kinzie. "Take our prisoner to the cells and hand her over to Otrera's guards. And, Kinzie, be sure you leave before anything unfortunate happens. Good-bye, Hazel Levesque."

* * *

Andy and Frank were in two of the cages, talking to each other in hushed tones. Next to them on the catwalk, three bored-looking Amazon guards leaned against their spears.

"Get moving," Kinzie ordered, loud enough for the guards to hear. She prodded Hazel in the back with her sword.

Hazel fell to her knees and tried to put on her best seasick face. "I'm feeling nauseous! Can't... walk."

The nearest guard rolled her eyes and trudged over. She grabbed Hazel's arm. Kinzie turned to leave. Hazel waited until her steps receded down the catwalk. The guard pulled on Hazel's arm. "Come on."

Hazel concentrated on the floor and walls of the cave which exploded with a sound like a thousand slot machines hitting the jackpot. A tidal wave of silver friendship bracelets poured across the catwalk, washing the Amazons over the railing. Hazel picked up one of the fallen guards' spears, but there was no need for weapons. The Amazons were out. Hazel raced over to the cages and opened the doors.

Frank stared at her in astonishment. "Hazel, that was... amazing."

Andy nodded.

"Our weapons and supplies are at the end of the catwalk," Hazel said. "We should hurry. Pretty soon—" Alarms began wailing throughout the cavern."Yeah, that'll happen. Let's go!"

The first part of the escape was easy. They retrieved their things with no problem, then started climbing down the ladder. Every time Amazons swarmed beneath them, demanding their surrender, Hazel made a crate of jewelry explode, burying their enemies in a Niagara Falls of gold and silver.

"You, Hazel Levesque," Frank said, "are entirely freaking incredible."

She wanted to kiss him right there, but they had no time. They ran back to the throne room. They stumbled across one Amazon who must've been loyal to Hylla. As soon as she saw the escapees, she turned away like they were invisible.

Andy started to ask, "What the hell—"

"I'll explain later," Hazel said.

The second Amazon they met wasn't so friendly. She spun her spear with lightning speed, but this time Andy was ready. She drew Riptide and stepped into battle. As the Amazon jabbed at her, Andy sidestepped, cut her spear shaft in half, and slammed the hilt of her sword against her helmet. The guard crumpled.

"Mars Almighty," Frank said. "How did you—that wasn't any Roman technique!"

Andy grinned. "The graecus has some moves, my roman friend."

They ran into the throne room which was empty. Hazel dashed over to Arion's cage and swiped an Amazon card across the lock. Instantly the stallion burst forth, rearing in triumph. Andy and Frank stumbled backward.

"Um, is that thing tame?" Frank said.

The horse whinnied angrily.

"I don't think so," Andy guessed. "He just said, _'I will trample you to death, silly Chinese Canadian baby man.'_ "

"You speak horse?" Hazel asked.

"'Baby man'?" Frank spluttered.

"Poseidon," Andy said. "Or Neptune. Whichever."

"Well, he's fast. He can get us out of here," said Hazel.

Frank did not look thrilled. "Three of us can't fit on one horse, can we? We'll slow him down, or—"

Arion whinnied again.

"Rude!" Andy said. "Frank, the horse says you're a—you know, actually, I'm not going to translate that. But he says there's a chariot in the warehouse, and he's willing to pull it."

"There!" someone yelled from the back of the throne room. A dozen Amazons charged in. When they saw Arion, they backed up quickly.

Hazel vaulted onto Arion's back. She grinned down at her friends. "Come on!" She galloped into the larger cavern and scattered a crowd of Amazons. Andy knocked out another. Frank swept two more off their feet with his spear. Hazel bowled into a patrol of Amazons, who scattered in terror at the sight of the horse. For once, Hazel's spatha felt exactly the right length. She swung it at everyone who came within reach. No Amazon dared challenge her.

Andy and Frank ran after her. Finally they reached the chariot. Arion stopped by the yoke, and Andy set to work with the reins and harness.

"You've done this before?" Frank asked.

Andy didn't need to answer. Her hands flew. In no time the chariot was ready. Andy jumped aboard and yelled, "Frank, come on! Hazel, go!"

Hazel spurred Arion. They raced across the cavern, weaving around pallets and forklifts. An arrow whizzed past Hazel's head. Something exploded behind her, but she didn't look back.

"The stairs!" Frank yelled. "No way this horse can pull a chariot up that many flights of—OH MY GODS!"

Thankfully the stairs were wide enough for the chariot, because Arion didn't even slow down. He shot up the steps with the chariot rattling and groaning. Hazel glanced back a few times to make sure Frank and Andy hadn't fallen off. Their knuckles were white on the sides of the chariot, their teeth chattering. Finally they reached the lobby. Arion crashed through the main doors into the plaza and scattered a bunch of guys in business suits.

"Ella!" Hazel shouted at the sky. "Where are you? We have to leave!"

In a flash of red feathers, Ella landed in the chariot. "Ella is here."

"Hold on!" Hazel warned. She leaned forward and smiled. The world seemed to elongate. Sunlight bent around them. Arion shot away from the Amazons and sped through downtown Seattle. He thundered toward the docks, leaping over cars, barreling through intersections. Hazel screamed at the top of her lungs, but it was a scream of delight. For the first time in her life—in her two lives—she felt absolutely unstoppable.


	25. Fear of Heights

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part XIV — _Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling, soaring, tumbling, freewheeling, through an endless diamond sky._

* * *

For a minute, Lena and Thalia faced each other, stunned. Then Thalia rushed forward and hugged her. "GG?" She gripped Lena's face and seemed to be examining everything about it. "Is that really you?"

"GG?" Lena stumbled.

"Your initials," Thalia explained, hands still gripping Lena's face like she feared she'd disappear. Lena also had a strange look in her eyes, almost scared. They all sat around the fire. "I thought you were dead."

"What happened to our family?" Lena asked. "Who told you I was dead?"

"Do you remember anything?" Thalia asked.

Lena shook her head. "Hera stole my memories."

Thalia tensed. "Hera? How do you know that?" Lena explained about everything. Thalia was a good listener. Nothing seemed to surprise her, but when Lena mentioned King Midas, she cursed in Ancient Greek. "I knew we should've burned down his mansion. That man's a menace. But we were so intent on following Lycaon... So Hera's been... what, hiding you all these years?"

"I don't know. She left me just enough memory to recognize your face. I think Hera wanted for us to meet."

"GG," Thalia said, "you can't trust Hera, especially since we're daughters of Zeus. She hates all children of Zeus."

"But she said something about Zeus giving her my life as a peace offering. And she also said... Well, she asked me to remember that she loves me as her own. She said she was my mother when others weren't."

The color drained from Thalia's face. "Oh, gods. Mother wouldn't have... You don't remember..."

"What?" Lena asked.

"Just... I… Look, our mom wasn't exactly stable. She caught Zeus's eye because she was a television actress, and she was beautiful, but she didn't handle the fame well. She drank too much. She was always in the tabloids. She could never get enough attention. She… she wasn't completely fine knowing the gods existed. It was like the ultimate achievement for her to attract the lord of the sky, and she couldn't accept it when he left."

Leo watched Lena's face—looking more and more devastated as Thalia described their mom—and for once, Leo didn't feel jealous of the sky princess.

"Then one day," Thalia went on, "Zeus started visiting Mom again. He seemed… different somehow. And she improved. She loved having him around, she always wanted more attention. That's the year you were born. Mom... well, I never got along with her, but you gave me a reason to hang around. I didn't trust her to look after you. Of course, Zeus eventually stopped coming by again and she got more and more unstable. That was about the time the monsters started attacking me. She blamed Hera. She claimed the goddess was coming after you too—that Hera had barely tolerated my birth, but two demigod children from the same family was too big an insult. She even said she hadn't wanted to name you Lena, as the character she was best known for, but Hera insisted that Zeus gave you a Corinthian name. You know the result, GG. And still, Mom only ever called you Lena, always picking fights with the queen of the skies."

"How… How did you guys get separated?" Piper asked.

Thalia squeezed Lena's hand. "If I'd known you were alive… Gods, things would've been so different. But one day, Mom took us on this family vacation. To this place… I was holding your hand, but she told me to go back to the car and get the picnic basket. When I came back... she was kneeling on the stone steps, hugging herself and crying. She said… she said you were gone. She said Hera claimed you and you were as good as dead. I was afraid she'd completely lost her mind. I ran all over the place looking for you, but you'd just vanished. Afterward, we fought. Finally I couldn't stand it. I ran away from home, and I never went back, not even when she died. I thought you were gone forever, GG."

"Hey," Leo said. "Important thing is you've got each other now, right? You two are lucky."

Thalia nodded. "He's right. Look at you. You're my age."

"But where have I been?" Lena said. "How could I be missing all that time? And the Roman stuff..."

Thalia frowned. "The Roman stuff?"

"Lena speaks Latin," Leo said. "She calls gods by their Roman names."

"Latin," Thalia frowned. "Zeus sometimes spoke Latin, the second time he stayed with Mom. Like I said, he seemed different, more formal."

"You think he was in his Roman aspect?" Lena asked. "And that's why I think of myself as a child of Jupiter?"

"Possibly," Thalia said. "I've never heard of something like that happening, but it might explain things. Still, how you've survived without Camp Half-Blood? A child of Zeus, or Jupiter, would've been hounded by monsters. If you were on your own, you should've died years ago. You would've needed training, a safe haven—"

"She wasn't alone," Leo blurted out. "We've heard about others like her."

Thalia looked at him strangely. "What do you mean?"

Leo told her everything. "Isn't there anywhere else for demigods?" he asked when he was done. "I mean besides Camp Half-Blood? Maybe some crazy Latin teacher has been abducting children of the gods or something, making them think like Romans."

"I've been all over the country," Thalia mused. "I've never seen evidence of that. I'll have to talk to the goddess. Maybe Artemis will guide us."

"She's still talking to you?" Lena asked. "Most of the gods have gone silent."

"Artemis follows her own rules," Thalia said. "She's the one who set us on the trail of Lycaon. She said we'd find a lead to a missing friend of ours."

"Andy Jackson," Leo guessed. "The girl Anthony is looking for."

Thalia nodded, her face full of concern.

"So what would Lycaon have to do with it?" Piper asked. "And how does it connect to us?"

"We need to find out soon," Thalia admitted. "I'll take you to Aeolus's palace."

* * *

They went uphill through the snow. Coach Hedge leaped around like a happy mountain goat, coaxing them on. The others followed in silence. Eventually, they stopped. Leo slammed into Thalia and nearly sent them both down the side of the mountain the hard way. Fortunately, the Hunter was light on her feet. She steadied them both, then pointed up.

"That," Leo choked, "is a really large rock."

They stood near the summit of Pikes Peak. Below them the world was blanketed in clouds. Hovering in the sky was a massive free-floating island of glowing purple stone. It was hard to judge its size. The sides were rugged cliffs, riddled with caves. At the top of the rock, brass walls ringed some kind of a fortress. The only thing connecting Pikes Peak to the floating island was a narrow bridge of ice that glistened in the moonlight.

Then Leo realized the bridge wasn't exactly ice, because it wasn't solid. As the winds changed direction, the bridge snaked around—blurring and thinning, in some places even breaking into a dotted line like the vapor trail of a plane.

"We're not seriously crossing that," Leo said.

Thalia shrugged. "I'm not a big fan of heights, I'll admit. But if you want to get to Aeolus's fortress, this is the only way. We should go across in two different groups. The bridge is fragile."

"That's reassuring," Leo said. "Lena, can't you just fly us up there?"

Thalia laughed; then she seemed to realize it wasn't a joke. "Wait… GG, you can fly?"

Lena gazed up at the floating fortress. "Well, sort of. More like I can control the winds. But the winds up here are so strong, I'm not sure I'd want to try. Thalia, you mean… you can't fly?"

For a second, Thalia looked genuinely afraid. Then she got her expression under control. "Truthfully, I've never tried. Might be better if we stuck to the bridge."

Coach Hedge tapped the ice vapor trail with his hoof, then jumped onto the bridge. Amazingly, it held his weight. "Easy! I'll go first. Piper, come on, girl. I'll give you a hand." Piper started to protest, but the coach grabbed her hand and dragged her up the bridge. When they were about halfway, the bridge still seemed to be holding them just fine.

"GG, Leo, just be careful where you step," Thalia said. "It hardly ever breaks."

"It hasn't met me yet," Leo muttered, but he and Lena led the way up the bridge.

Halfway up, things went wrong. Piper and Hedge had already made it safely to the top and were waving at them. But Leo got distracted—a sudden revelation stopped him in his tracks.

"Why do they have a bridge?" he asked. "They're wind spirits. Can't they fly?"

"Yes," said Thalia. "But sometimes they need a way to connect to the world below. The wind spirits don't like to anchor to the earth, but sometimes it's necessary. Like now. They know you're coming."

Leo's mind was racing. He was so excited he could almost feel his body's temperature rising.

"Oh, gods," Thalia said. "Keep moving. Look at your feet."

Leo shuffled backward. With horror, he realized his body temperature really was rising—his pants steamed in the cold air. His shoes were literally smoking, and the bridge didn't like it. The ice was thinning.

"Leo, stop it," Lena warned. "You're going to melt it."

"Listen, Lena, don't you get it? Hera called you a bridge in that dream," Leo said, fervently.

"Leo, seriously," Thalia said. "Cool down."

"Just listen," he insisted. "If Lena is a bridge, what's she connecting? Maybe two different places that normally don't get along—like the air palace and the ground. You had to be somewhere before this, right? And Hera said you were an exchange."

"An exchange." Thalia's eyes widened. "Oh, gods… Andy!"

Lena frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Thalia murmured something like a prayer. "I understand now why Artemis sent me here. GG, she told me to hunt for Lycaon and I would find a clue about Andy. You are the clue. Artemis wanted us to meet so I could hear your story. Leo is right. It's all connected. If only we knew where—"

Leo snapped his fingers. "Lena, what did you call that place in your dream? That ruined house. The Wolf House?"

Thalia nearly choked. "The Wolf House? GG, why didn't you tell me that! That's where they're keeping Hera?"

"You know where it is?" Lena asked.

Then the bridge dissolved. Leo would've fallen to his death, but Lena grabbed his coat and pulled him to safety. The two of them scrambled up the bridge, and when they turned, Thalia was on the other side of a thirty-foot chasm. The bridge was continuing to melt.

"Go!" Thalia shouted, backing down the bridge as it crumbled. "Find out where the giant is keeping Piper's dad. Save him! I'll take the Hunters to the Wolf House and hold it until you can get there. We can do both!"

"But where is the Wolf House?" Lena shouted.

"You know where it is, GG!" She was so far away now that they could barely hear her voice over the wind. Then she turned and raced down the dissolving bridge.

Leo and Lena had no time to stand around. They climbed for their lives, the ice vapor thinning under their feet. When they reached the floating island, Piper and Coach Hedge pulled them aboard just as the last of the vapor bridge vanished.

* * *

Finally, they got there. Together, they followed the road. They passed through the front doors into a white marble foyer decorated with purple banners.

"Hello!" A woman floated up to them. Literally floated. She had a white tablet computer in her hand. "My name is Mellie. Are you from Lord Zeus? We've been expecting you."

"Er," Lena said, "I'm a daughter of Zeus, yeah."

"Excellent! Please, right this way." She led them through some security doors into another lobby, consulting her tablet as she floated. They went through a set of doors like an airlock. Above the interior door, a green light blinked. "He probably won't kill you if we go in now. Come along!"

Aeolus's fortress was as big as a cathedral, with a soaring domed roof covered in silver. There was no floor. Leo almost fell into the chasm before Lena pulled him back.

"Holy—!" Leo gulped. "Hey, Mellie. A little warning next time!"

An enormous circular pit plunged into the heart of the mountain.

"Oh, my," Mellie gasped. "I'm so sorry." She unclipped a walkie-talkie from somewhere inside her robes and spoke into it: "Hello, sets? Nuggets? Hi, Nuggets. Could we get a floor in the main studio, please? Yes, a solid one. Thanks."

A few seconds later, an army of harpies rose from the pit—three dozen or so demon chicken ladies, all carrying squares of various building material. They went to work hammering and gluing—and using large quantities of duct tape, which didn't reassure Lena. In no time there was a makeshift floor snaking out over the chasm.

"That can't be safe," Lena said.

"Oh, it is!" Mellie assured her. "The harpies are very good."

"Easy for her to say," Leo said, "you just drift across without touching the floor."

Lena stepped out first. Amazingly, the floor held. Piper gripped her hand and followed her. "If I fall, you're catching me."

"Uh, sure." Lena hoped she wasn't blushing.

Leo stepped out next. "You're catching me, too, Princess. But I ain't holding your hand."

Mellie led them toward the middle of the chamber, where a man was talking into an earpiece phone. He had a remote control in each hand and was pointing them at various screens, seemingly at random. He wore a business suit that looked like the sky. He looked like he was in his sixties. His eyes darted back and forth from screen to screen, like he was trying to absorb everything at once. He muttered things into his phone.

Mellie floated toward him. "Ah, sir, Mr. Aeolus, this is Lena, daughter of—"

"Yes, yes, I remember," Aeolus said. "You're back. How did it go?"

Lena hesitated. "Sorry? I think you've mistaken me—"

"No, no, Lena Grace, aren't you? It was—what—last year? You were on your way to fight a sea monster, I believe."

"I—I don't remember."

Aelous laughed. "Must not have been a very good sea monster! No, I remember every hero who's ever come to me for aid. Odysseus—gods, he docked at my island for a month! At least you only stayed a few days."

"Uh, Mr. Aeolus." Lena slipped off the golden backpack. "We brought you these rogue storm spirits."

"Did you! Well, how nice."

Leo nudged Lena, and she offered the bag. "Boreas sent us to capture them for you. We hope you'll accept them and stop—you know—ordering demigods to be killed."

Aeolus laughed, and looked incredulously at Mellie. "Demigods be killed—did I order that?"

Mellie checked her computer tablet. "Yes, sir, fifteenth of September. A general order for them all to be killed."

"Oh, pish," Aeolus said. "I was just grumpy. Rescind that order, Mellie, and um, who's on guard duty—Teriyaki?—Teri, take these storm spirits down to cell block Fourteen E, will you?" Aeolus grinned at Lena. "Now, sorry about that kill-on-sight business. But gods, I really was mad, wasn't I?" His face suddenly darkened. "You know, I remember now. Almost seemed like a voice was telling me to give that order. A little cold tingle on the back of my neck."

Lena tensed. "A… um, voice in your head, sir?"

"Yes. How odd. Mellie, should we kill them?"

"No, sir," she said patiently. "They just brought us the storm spirits, which makes everything alright."

"Of course." Aeolus laughed. "Sorry. So, you brought me some rogue storm spirits. I suppose… thanks! And did you want something else? I assume so. Demigods always do."

"Well," Lena said. "We're on a quest and we need your help."

"Uh-hu. Like last time? Like every hero who comes here? Demigods! It's always about you, isn't it?"

"Sir, please, I don't remember last time, but if you helped me once before—"

"I'm always helping! Well, sometimes I'm destroying, but mostly I'm helping, and sometimes I'm asked to do both at the same time! Why, Aeneas, the first of your kind—"

"My kind?" Lena asked. "You mean, demigods?"

"Oh, please!" Aeolus said. "I mean your line of demigods. You know, Aeneas, son of Venus—the only surviving hero of Troy. When the Greeks burned down his city, he escaped to Italy, where he founded the kingdom that would eventually become Rome, blah, blah, blah. That's what I meant." Aeolus rolled his eyes. "The point being, I was thrown in the middle of that conflict, too! Juno wanted his ships destroyed because she didn't like him. Neptune said it was his territory. Then Juno insisted, she's always insisting on things. Do you think it's easy juggling requests like that?"

"We just want information," Piper said in her most calming voice. "We hear you know everything."

Aeolus hesitated. "Well—that's true, of course. For instance, I know that this harebrained scheme of Juno's to bring you all together is likely to end in bloodshed. As for you, Piper McLean, I know your father is in serious trouble. Now, you, son of Hephaestus—yes, I see your future. The boat, eh?"

Leo staggered backward. "I… um… How…"

Aeolus laughed. "The key to your success! Now, where were we? Ah, yes, you wanted information. Are you sure about that? Sometimes information can be dangerous." He smiled at Lena like he was issuing a challenge.

"Yeah," Lena said. "We need to find the lair of Enceladus."

Aeolus's smile melted. "The giant? Why would you want to go there? He's horrible!"

"Aeolus, he's got my father," Piper said. "If you help us find him, we could get the location of the goddess—"

"Yeah," Leo said, catching on. "And if we save her, she'd be really grateful to you."

Aeolus's eyebrows crept up. "And all you want from me is the giant's location?"

"Well, if you could get us there, too," Lena amended, "that would be great."

Aelous tilted his head as if listening to voices in his earpiece. "Well… Zeus approves. He says… he says it would be better if you could avoid saving her until after the weekend, because he has a big party planned—Ow! That's Aphrodite yelling at him, reminding him that the solstice starts at dawn. She says I should help you. And Hephaestus… yes. Hmm. Very rare they agree on anything. Hold on—"

Back toward the entrance, Lena heard a loud belch. Coach Hedge waddled in from the lobby, grass all over his face. He had asked the others to go ahead inside without him—apparently he had been very hungry. Mellie saw him coming across the makeshift floor and caught her breath. "Who is that?"

Lena stifled a cough. "That's Coach Hedge. Uh, Gleeson Hedge. He's our… our guide."

"He's so goatly," Mellie murmured.

"What's up, guys?" Hedge trotted over. "Wow, nice place." He staggered when he saw Millie. "An aura... Beautiful as a summer breeze."

Mellie blushed.

"Alright," the wind lord said. "It seems you'll find Enceladus on Mount Diablo."

"Devil Mountain?" Leo asked. "That doesn't sound good."

"I remember that place!" Piper said. "I went there once with my dad. It's just east of San Francisco Bay."

"The Bay Area again?" The coach shook his head. "Not good. Not good at all."

"Now..." Aeolus began to smile. "As to getting you there—" Suddenly his face went slack – he looked like an old, very frightened man. "She hasn't spoke to me for centuries. I can't—yes, yes I understand." He swallowed. "I'm sorry, daughter of Jupiter. New orders. You all have to die."

Lena frowned. "Whose orders?"

Aeolus flicked his wrist, and far below them, a cell door opened in the pit. Lena could hear storm spirits screaming out of it, spiraling up toward them, howling for blood. "See, she is awakening—by all the gods—she cannot be denied."

Lena summoned her sword. Coach Hedge pulled out his club.

Mellie yelled, "No!" She dived at their feet just as the storm spirits hit with hurricane force, blasting the floor to pieces, shredding the carpet samples and marble and linoleum into what should've been lethal projectiles, had Mellie's robes not spread out like a shield and absorbed the brunt of the impact. The five of them fell into the pit, and Aeolus screamed above them, "Mellie, you are so fired!"

"Quick," Mellie yelled. "Daughter of Zeus, help me!" She grabbed Lena's hand, and an electric charge went through it. Lena understood what she needed. They had to control their fall and head for one of the open tunnels. The storm spirits were following them down, closing rapidly, bringing with them a cloud of deadly shrapnel.

Lena grabbed Piper's hand. "Group hug!"

Hedge, Leo, and Piper tried to huddle together, hanging on to Lena and Mellie as they fell. "Bring it on, gas bags!" Hedge yelled up at the storm spirits. "I'll pulverize you!"

"He's magnificent," Mellie sighed.

She and Lena channeled the wind so their fall became more of a tumble into the nearest open chute. Mellie's robes billowed around her. Lena and the others clung to her desperately, and they began to slow down, but the storm spirits were screaming into the tunnel behind them.

"Can't—hold—long," Mellie warned. "Stay together! When the winds hit—"

"You're doing great, Mellie," Hedge said. "My own mama was an aura, you know. She couldn't have done better herself."

"Iris-message me?" Mellie pleaded.

Hedge winked.

"You guys can date later!" Piper screamed. "Look!"

Behind them, the tunnel was turning dark. Lena could feel her ears pop as the pressure built.

"Can't hold them," Mellie warned. "But I'll try to shield you, do you one more favor."

"Thanks, Mellie," Lena said.

She smiled, and then dissolved, wrapping them in a warm gentle breeze. Then the real winds hit, shooting them into the sky so fast, Lena blacked out.


	26. In the Family

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part XII — _Ev'ry day they shout and scold and go about their lives, heedless of the gits it is to be them._

* * *

The horse ran on water. Seriously. It ran on water. Frank's mind couldn't cope with that simple sentence so he kept repeating it in his head, over and over.

The horse ran on water.

On water.

It ran.

The horse.

They'd crossed into Canada. The horse rocketed onto dry land. He followed Highway 99 north, running so fast, the cars seemed to be standing still. Finally, just as they were getting into Vancouver, the chariot wheels began to smoke.

Hazel pulled the reins. The horse didn't seem happy about it, but he slowed. At last Arion stopped at the top of a wooded hill. The smoking chariot collapsed, spilling Andy, Frank, and Ella onto the wet, mossy ground. Frank stumbled to his feet. Andy moaned and started unhitching Arion from the ruined chariot.

Grinning with pleasure, Hazel slid off the horse's back. "That was awesome!"

Arion whinnied.

"He says he needs to eat," Andy translated.

Hazel studied the ground at her feet and frowned. "I'm not sensing any gold around here... Don't worry, Arion. I'll find you some. In the meantime, why don't you go graze? We'll meet you—" The horse zipped off, leaving a trail of steam in his wake. Hazel knit her eyebrows. "Do you think he'll come back?"

"I don't know," Andy said. "He seems kind of... spirited."

Frank almost hoped the horse would stay away. Arion scared him, and Frank was pretty sure the horse knew it. Frank leaned against a tree, trying to control his vertigo. Then he straightened and looked around, trying to get his bearings. Frank had explored this park for years. "I'm practically home," he said. "My grandmother's house is right over there. Just through the woods."

Andy raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? To Grandmother's house we go?"

Frank cleared his throat. "Yes?"

Hazel clasped her hands in prayer. "Frank, please tell me she'll let us spend the night? And Arion saved us some time. Maybe we could get an actual cooked meal?"

"And a hot shower?" Andy pleaded.

Frank tried to imagine Grandmother's face if he showed up with two heavily armed girls and a harpy. Everything had changed since his mother's funeral, since the morning the wolves had taken him south. He'd been so angry about leaving. Now, he couldn't imagine going back.

"It's worth a try," Frank decided.

* * *

Frank was so distracted, he would have walked right into the ogres' camp. Fortunately Andy pulled him back. They crouched next to Hazel and Ella behind a fallen log and peered into the clearing.

It was fully dark now. Around a blazing campfire sat half a dozen shaggy-haired humanoids. Beyond the clearing, the lights of the Zhang mansion glowed through the trees. The ogres had surrounded the property. Frank's fingers dug into the tree bark. His grandmother might be alone inside the house, trapped. "What are these guys?" he whispered.

"Laistry-something," Andy said. "That's what Anthony called them."

"Laistrygonians," Ella said. "Cannibals. Northern giants. Sasquatch legend."

"Yes," Andy agreed. "Laistry—uh, whatever Ella said."

"So your memory is coming back?" Hazel asked. "Do you remember how to beat these guys?"

"Sort of," Andy said. "It's still fuzzy. I think we killed them with Celestial bronze, but that was before Death got kidnapped."

"So now, they might not die at all," Hazel said.

"I think they've surrounded the house," Frank said, "We need a distraction. If we can draw this group into the woods, we might sneak through without alerting the others." He slipped his spear off his back. "I've got it."

"Frank, you can't charge out there!" Hazel said. "That's suicide!"

"I'm not charging," Frank said. "I've got a friend. Just... nobody scream, okay?" He jabbed the spear into the ground, and the point broke off.

"Oops," Ella said. "No spear point. Nope, nope."

The ground trembled. The skeletal hand broke the surface. Andy fumbled for her sword, and Hazel made a sound like a cat with a hairball. Ella disappeared and re-materialized at the top of the nearest tree.

"It's okay," Frank promised. "He's under control!"

The skeleton crawled out of the ground. He turned his ghostly eyes toward Frank, waiting for orders.

"Frank, that's a spartus," Andy said. "A skeleton warrior. They're evil. They're killers. They're—"

"I know," Frank said bitterly. "But it's a gift from Mars. Right now that's all I've got. Um... your orders: attack that group of ogres. Lead them off to the west, causing a diversion so we can—"

The skeleton charged toward the ogres' campfire. He pulled two of his own ribs from his shirt and ran around the fire, stabbing the ogres in the back with such blinding speed they didn't even have time to yell. He stomped around, kicking their ashes apart as they tried to re-form. When he seemed satisfied that they weren't coming back, he stood at attention, saluted smartly in Frank's direction, and sank into the forest floor.

Andy stared at Frank. "How—"

"No Laistrygonians." Ella fluttered down and landed next to them. "Spears are good for subtraction."

Hazel looked at Frank as if he'd turned into a zombie skeleton himself. Children of Mars were all about violence. Mars's symbol was a bloody spear for good reason.

He glared down at broken tip of his spear. Once more he wished he had any father but Mars.

* * *

Frank thanks the gods his house was untouched. He decided against ringing the doorbell. Instead he checked the stone elephant statue in the corner—the spare key was still tucked under its foot. He hesitated at the door.

"What's wrong?" Andy asked.

Frank remembered the morning he'd opened this door for the military officer who had told him about his mother. He remembered walking down these steps to her funeral, holding his piece of firewood in his coat for the first time.

"Frank?" Hazel asked.

"I'm fine." Frank's hand was shaking so badly he could barely fit the key in the lock. Inside, the house smelled closed-up and musty. They examined the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, and didn't find signs of life.

Upstairs, Frank's old bedroom was the same. None of his things had been touched—his extra bow and quiver, his spelling awards from school, and his photos of his mom.

"Your mother?" Hazel asked gently. "She's beautiful."

Frank couldn't answer. They checked the other bedrooms. The middle two were empty. A dim light flickered under the last door—Grandmother's room.

Frank knocked quietly. No one answered. He pushed open her door. Grandmother lay in bed, looking gaunt and frail, her white hair spread around her face like a basilisk's crown. A single candle burned on the nightstand. At her bedside sat a large man.

"Mars," Frank said.

The god looked up impassively. "Hey, kid. Come on in. Tell your friends to take a hike."

Hazel took Andy's hand and pulled her out of the room. Frank waited until their steps receded. Then he closed the door. "Is it really you?" he asked Mars.

The god shook his head. "You'd prefer it if it wasn't me?"

"Yes," Frank confessed.

Mars shrugged. "Can't blame you. Nobody welcomes war—not if they're smart. But war finds everyone sooner or later. It's inevitable."

"War isn't inevitable. It kills people. It—"

"—took your mom," Mars finished.

Frank looked down at his grandmother, sleeping peacefully. He wished she would wake up. If anyone could take on a war god, his grandmother could.

"She's ready to die," Mars said. "She's been ready for weeks, but she's holding on for you."

"For me? Why? How could she know I was coming back? I didn't know!"

"The Laistrygonians outside knew," Mars said. "I imagine a certain goddess told them."

Frank blinked. "Juno?"

The war god laughed so loudly the windows rattled. "Juno? Boar's whiskers, kid. Not Juno! You're Juno's secret weapon. She wouldn't sell you out. No, I meant Gaea. Obviously she's been keeping track of you. I think you worry her more than Andy Jackson or Lena Grace, or any of the seven."

"The seven... you mean in the ancient prophecy, the Doors of Death? I'm one of the seven? And Lena, and—"

"Yes, yes." Mars waved his hand impatiently. "Come on, boy. You're supposed to be a good tactician. Juno aims to unite the Greeks and Romans and send them against the giants. She believes it's the only way to stop Gaea." Mars shrugged, clearly unconvinced of the plan. "Gaea doesn't want you to be one of the seven. Andy Jackson… Gaea believes she can control her. All of the others have weaknesses she can exploit. But you—you worry her. She'd rather kill you right away. That's why she summoned the Laistrygonians. They've been here for days, waiting."

Frank shook his head, unsure of what he was hearing. "No weaknesses?" he asked. "I'm nothing but weaknesses. My life depends on a piece of wood! No way would a goddess be worried about me, especially when there is someone like Andy Jackson to worry about!"

Mars grinned. "You're selling yourself short. Gaea has these Laistrygonians convinced that if they eat you, they'll inherit your family gift. Imagine that."

Frank's stomach twisted into a knot. "I'm going to throw up," he said.

Mars snapped his fingers, and Frank's queasiness disappeared. "Battle jitters. Happens to everybody."

"But my grandmother—"

"Yeah, she's been waiting to talk to you. The ogres have left her alone so far. She's the bait, see?"

"Why didn't you do something then?" Frank demanded. "If you've been here all along?"

"I don't fight my kids' battles for them. The Fates have clear ideas about what jobs belong to gods, and what has to be done by mortals. This is your quest, kid. I hope you've learned how to use the family gift."

 _The family gift._

"Periclymenus." Frank sounded out the word carefully. "He was my ancestor, a Greek prince, an Argonaut. He died fighting Hercules." Mars rolled his hand in a 'go on' gesture. "He had an ability that helped him in combat," Frank said. "Some sort of gift from the gods. My mom said he fought like a swarm of bees."

Mars laughed. "True enough. What else?"

"Somehow, the family got to China. I think, like in the days of the Roman Empire, one of Pericylmenus's descendants served in a legion. My mom used to talk about a guy named Seneca Gracchus, but he also had a Chinese name, Sung Guo. I think—well, this is the part I don't know, but Reyna always said there were many lost legions. The Twelfth founded Camp Jupiter. Maybe there was another legion that disappeared into the east."

Mars clapped silently. "Not bad, kid. Ever heard of the Battle of Carrhae? Huge disaster for the Romans. They fought these guys called the Parthians on the eastern border of the empire. Fifteen thousand Romans died. Ten thousand more were taken prisoner."

"And one of the prisoners was my ancestor Seneca Gracchus?"

"Exactly. The Parthians put the captured legionnaires to work, since they were pretty good fighters. Except then Parthia got invaded again from the other direction—"

"By the Chinese," Frank guessed. "And the Roman prisoners got captured again."

"Yeah. Kind of embarrassing. That's how a Roman legion got to China. The Romans eventually put down roots and built a new hometown called—"

"Li-Jien," Frank said. "My mother said that was our ancestral home. Li-Jien. Legion."

Mars looked pleased. "Now you're getting it. And old Seneca Gracchus, he had your family's gift."

"My mom said he fought dragons," Frank remembered. "She said he was... the most powerful dragon of all."

"He was good," Mars admitted. "Not good enough to avoid the bad luck of his legion, but good. He settled in China, passed the family gift to his kids, and so on. Eventually your family emigrated to North America and got involved with Camp Jupiter—"

"Full circle," Frank finished. "Juno said I would bring the family full circle."

Mars nodded at his grandmother. "She wanted to tell you all this herself, but I figured I'd cover some of it since the old bird hasn't got much strength. So do you understand your gift?"

Frank hesitated. He had an idea, but it seemed crazy. "I—I think so."

Satisfied, Mars stood and stretched. "When your grandmother wakes up in the morning, she'll offer you some help. Then I imagine she'll die."

"What? She can't just leave me."

"She's lived a full life," Mars said. "She's ready to move on. Don't be selfish. The old woman only stuck around this long out of a sense of duty. Your mom was the same way. That's why I loved her. She always put her duty first, ahead of everything. Even her life."

"Even me."

"Self-pity isn't helpful, kid. It isn't worthy of you. Even without the family gift, your mom gave you your most important traits—bravery, loyalty, brains. Now you've got to decide how to use them. In the morning, listen to your grandmother. Take her advice. You can still free Thanatos and save the camp."

"And leave my grandmother behind to die."

"Life is only precious because it ends, kid. Take it from a god. You mortals don't know how lucky you are."

"Real lucky."

Mars laughed—a harsh metallic sound. "Your mom used to tell me this Chinese proverb. _Eat bitter—_ "

" _—taste sweet_ ," Frank said.

"You do the easy thing, the appealing thing, the peaceful thing, mostly it turns out sour in the end. But if you take the hard path—ah, that's how you reap the sweet rewards. Duty. Sacrifice. They mean something. Lastly, Frank, you said you were weak. That's not true. You want to know why Juno spared you? Why that piece of wood didn't burn yet? It's because you've got a role to play. You think you're not as good as the other Romans. You think Andy Jackson is better than you."

"She is," Frank grumbled.

"Every hero has a fatal flaw. Andy Jackson? Gets too attached. Can't see the big picture. Can't give people up, not for anything. She's been warned. And someday soon, she's going to face a sacrifice she can't make. Without you, Frank—without your sense of duty—she's going to fail. The whole war will go sideways, and Gaea will destroy our world. War is a duty. The only real choice is whether you accept it, and what you fight for. The legacy of Rome is on the line—five thousand years of law, order, civilization. The gods, the traditions, the cultures that shaped the world you live in: it's all going to crumble, Frank, unless you win this. I think that's worth fighting for."

"What's mine fatal flaw?" Frank asked. "You said all heroes have one."

The god smiled dryly. "You gotta answer that yourself, Frank. But you're finally asking the right questions." The god gave him a last grin and disappeared.

"Fai," said a familiar voice, harsh and impatient.

Frank turned. "Grandmother?"

She was looking up at him from the bed. "Yes, my silly ox." Grandmother still looked horribly weak and pale, but her voice was as steely as ever. "We have much to discuss. You can join your girlfriend and the other one when we're done."

"She's not… um… not my—"

"Well, she should be, you dolt! Don't let her get away. You need strong women in your life, if you haven't noticed."

Frank heard attentively as Grandmother gave him a sort of military briefing. She explained that the ogres had been surrounding the house for three days, waiting for Frank to show up.

"They want to eat you," she said distastefully, "which is ridiculous. You'd taste terrible."

"Thank you, Grandmother."

"I admit, I was somewhat pleased when they said you were coming back. I am glad to see you one last time." She took his hand with more affection than Frank had thought possible from her. "You know the airfield at the end of the park, Fa? Could you find it again?"

Frank nodded mutely.

"There is a pilot waiting for you," Grandmother said. "He is an old family friend. He'll take you north."

"But—"

"Do not argue, boy," she muttered. "Mars has been visiting me these last few days, keeping me company. He told me of your quest. Find Death in Alaska and release him. Do your duty."

"But if I succeed, you'll die. I'll never see you again."

"Yes," Grandmother agreed. "But I'll die anyway. I'm old. I thought I made that clear. Now, did your praetor give you letters of introduction?"

"Uh, yes, but—"

"Good. Show those to the pilot. He's a veteran of the legion. Those credentials will make him honor-bound to help you in any way possible. All you have to do is reach the airfield. And... about your powers... I hope you've figured them out."

His mother's old stories swirled in Frank's head. "You can be anything," he said. "That's what she always told me."

Grandmother huffed. "Finally, a dim light goes on in that head of yours. Yes, Fai Zhang. Your mother was not simply boosting your self-esteem. She was telling you the literal truth."

"But… Anything?"

"Within reason," Grandmother said. "Living things. It helps if you know the creature well. It also helps if you are in a life-and-death situation, such as combat. Why do you look so surprised, Fai? You have always said you are not comfortable in your own body. We all feel that way—all of us with the blood of Pylos. This gift was only given once to a mortal family. We are unique among demigods. Poseidon must have been feeling especially generous when he blessed our ancestor—or especially spiteful. The gift has often proven a curse. It did not save your mother..."

"But… I don't know how to use my power. I've never… I can't—"

"You can, child of justice and war," Grandmother said. "Or you will not survive to realize your destiny. I don't like this Prophecy of Seven that Mars told me about. Seven is an unlucky number in Chinese—a ghost number. But there is nothing we can do about that. Now, go! Tomorrow evening is the Feast of Fortuna. You have no time to waste. Don't worry about me. I will die in my own time, in my own way."

Frank embraced her before heading for the door. He felt like his heart was being squeezed through a juicer, but he bowed formally. "Thank you, Grandmother. I will make you proud."

She muttered under her breath, "You have." He stared at her, dumbfounded, but her expression immediately soured. "Stop gaping, boy! Go shower and dress! Comb your hair! My last image of you, and you show me messy hair?"

Frank patted down his hair and bowed again. His last image of Grandmother was of her glaring out the window, as if thinking about the terrible scolding she would give the ogres when they invaded her home.

* * *

Frank took the quickest shower possible, put on clean clothes, then grabbed his spare bow and quiver and bounded down the stairs. Ella was sitting in the corridor, in a pile of Chinese scrolls, reading seven or eight at once.

Frank knelt beside her. "Ella, we're going to be flying to Alaska soon. Will you come with us?"

Ella twitched uncomfortably. "Alaska. Six hundred twenty-six thousand, four hundred twenty-five square miles. State mammal: the moose." Suddenly she switched to Latin. "' _To the north, beyond the gods, lies the legion's crown. Falling from ice, the child of Neptune shall drown'—_ Hmm. Burned. The rest is burned."

Frank could hardly breathe. "Ella, was— was that a prophecy? Where did you read that?"

"Moose," Ella said, savoring the word. "Moose. Moose. Moose."

It was clear he wouldn't get anything else from her.

Frank found the two girls in the kitchen, looking clean and happy as they devoured some fried eggs and toast that Hazel had prepared for them. Frank gladly joined in. He was starving. Hazel looked so good, it made Frank's chest hurt. When she glanced at Frank, her eyes flashed with concern. "Are you okay? Why are you smiling?"

"Oh, uh, nothing. Thanks for breakfast. And... not hating me."

Hazel looked baffled. "Why would I hate you?"

Frank's face burned. "It's just... last night," he stammered. "When I summoned the skeleton. I thought... I thought that you thought... I was repulsive... or something."

Hazel raised her eyebrows. She shook her head in dismay. "Frank, maybe I was surprised. Maybe I was scared of that thing. But repulsed? The way you commanded it, so confident and everything—I couldn't believe it. I wasn't repulsed, Frank. I was impressed."

Frank wasn't sure he'd heard her right. "You were… impressed... by me?"

Andy laughed. "Dude, it was pretty amazing."

"Honest?" Frank asked.

"Honest," Hazel promised.

Frank forced himself to concentrate. "Alright. Uh, I've got an escape plan to Alaska." He told his friends about the plane and the pilot.

"Um, I don't think I'm supposed to air travel," Andy said.

"You'll have to risk it... and so will I. By the way, we're related."

Andy almost fell off her chair. "What?"

"Periclymenus. Ancestor on my mom's side. Argonaut. Grandson of Poseidon."

"I honestly don't know why I'm so surprised," Andy muttered. "In the end of the day, everyone's related to me."

Hazel's mouth fell open. "You're a—a descendant of Neptune? Frank, that's—"

"Crazy? Yeah. And there's this ability my family has, supposedly. But I don't know how to use it. If I can't figure it out— Well, never mind. Listen, we've got to protect Ella, take her with us."

"Of course," Hazel said. "The poor thing needs our help."

"No," Frank said. "I mean yes, but it's not just that. She recited a prophecy downstairs. I think—I think it was about this quest." He repeated the lines.

Andy looked uncomfortable. "I can't drown if that's what you're thinking. I can breathe underwater."

"But the crown of the legion has got to be the eagle," Hazel said.

Andy nodded. "Ella recited something like this in Portland—a line from the old Great Prophecy."

"The what?" Frank asked.

"Tell you later." Andy shoved another piece of toast in her mouth.

"The thing is," Frank said, "Ella remembers everything she reads. She said something about the page being burned, like she'd read a damaged text of prophecies."

Hazel's eyes widened. "Burned books of prophecy? You don't think—but that's impossible!"

"The books Octavian wanted?" Andy said, mouth still full.

Hazel whistled under her breath. "The lost Sibylline books that outlined the entire destiny of Rome. If Ella actually read a copy somehow, and memorized it—"

"Then she's the most valuable harpy in the world," Frank said. "No wonder Phineas wanted to capture her." He looked at Andy. "Can you drive?"

She squinted her eyes. "Yes... why?"

"Grandmother's car is in the garage. It's an old Cadillac. It can get us to the pilot."

"Now?"

"Now."

"But I've just eaten."

"Andy—"

"Alright, alright." She stood up and stretched, much like Mars had done.

They ran for the garage and entered the Cadillac. Andy got the engine running. She gunned the engine and they shot out of the garage before the door was fully open. The ogres ran to intercept, but Andy just kept driving. Frank silently said his goodbyes to his grandmother.

They drove through the woods and headed north. The gates of the airfield appeared before them—only a few hundred yards away. A private jet idled on the runway. Its stairs were down.

Andy and Hazel managed to get Ella out of the Cadillac, but as soon as the harpy saw the airplane, she began to shriek. "N-n-no! Fly with wings! N-n-no airplanes." There was nothing they could do to get her inside so Andy told her to hide around the area.

"I can send a friend to meet you and take you to Camp Jupiter," she promised.

"Camp," Ella muttered. Then in Latin: " _'Wisdom's son walks alone, the Mark of Athena burns through Rome.'_ "

Andy staggered. "What did you just say?"

"Ella will hide now." And she was gone.

"Uh, right," Andy shouted. "That sounded pretty important, but we can talk about it later."

They ran for the plane and showed the pilot the letters. He read them quickly and let them inside. There was no safety announcement, no pre-flight drink, and no waiting for clearance. The pilot pushed the throttle, and the plane shot down the runway. Over the intercom, the pilot's voice said, " _Senatus Populusque Romanus,_ my friends. Welcome aboard. Next stop: Anchorage, Alaska."


	27. Noble & Brave

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part XV — _I try and try to understand the distance in between the love I feel and the things I fear._

* * *

In the dream, Piper found herself back in Medea's department store.

"Please let this be a dream," she murmured, "and not my eternal punishment."

"No, dear," said a woman's honey-sweet voice from behind her. "No punishment."

Piper spun around and froze. The woman was gorgeous—shoulder-length hair in the same chocolate color as Piper's, a graceful neck, perfect features, and an amazing figure tucked into jeans and a snowy white top. She was elegant without trying, fashionable without effort, stunning without makeup. There was nothing artificial about her. Yet as Piper watched, the woman's appearance changed. Piper couldn't decide the color of her eyes, or the exact color of her hair. The woman became more and more beautiful, as if her image were aligning itself to Piper's thoughts—getting as close as possible to Piper's ideal of beauty.

"Aphrodite," Piper said.

The goddess smiled. "You're only dreaming, my sweet. If anyone wonders, I wasn't here. Okay?"

"I— this—this building exploded," Piper stammered. She had a hundred questions she needed to ask, but she couldn't come up with a single one. "I saw it."

"Yes," Aphrodite agreed. "Just a memory, now. Like the ones you have with the girl."

Piper's face burned. She didn't know whether she was more angry or embarrassed, but mostly she felt hollow with disappointment. "It wasn't real, right? None of it. It never even happened. So why do I remember it so vividly?"

Aphrodite smiled. "Because you are my daughter, Piper. You see possibilities much more vividly than others. You see what could be. And it still might be—don't give up. Unfortunately—" The goddess gestured around the department store. "You have other trials to face, first. Medea will be back, along with many other enemies. The Doors of Death have opened."

"What do you mean?"

Aphrodite winked at her. "You're a smart one, Piper. You know."

A cold feeling settled over her. "The sleeping woman, the one Medea and Midas called their patron. She's managed to open a new entrance from the Underworld. She's letting the dead escape back into the world."

"Mmm. And not just any dead. The worst, the most powerful, the ones most likely to hate the gods."

"The monsters are coming back from Tartarus the same way," Piper guessed. "That's why they don't stay disintegrated."

"Yes. Their patron, as you call her, has a special relationship with Tartarus, the spirit of the pit." Aphrodite held up a gold sequined top. "No—this would make me look ridiculous."

Piper laughed uneasily. "You? You can't look anything but perfect."

Aphrodite shook her head. "Beauty is about finding the right fit, the most natural fit. To be perfect, you have to feel perfect about yourself—avoid trying to be something you're not. For a goddess, that's especially hard. We can change so easily."

"My dad thought you were perfect." Piper's voice quavered. "He never got over you."

Aphrodite's gaze became distant. "Tristan. Oh, he was amazing. So gentle and kind, funny and handsome. Yet he had so much sadness inside. I didn't want to leave your father, of course. It's always so hard, but it was for the best. If he had realized who I actually was—"

"Wait—he didn't know you were a goddess?"

"Of course not." Aphrodite sounded offended. "I wouldn't do that to him. For most mortals, that's simply too hard to accept. It can ruin their lives! Ask your friend Lena—lovely girl, by the way. Her poor mother was destroyed when she found out she'd fallen in love with Zeus. No, it was much better Tristan believed that I was a mortal woman who left him without explanation. Better a bittersweet memory than an immortal, unattainable goddess. Which brings me to an important matter..." She opened her hand and showed Piper a glowing glass vial of pink liquid. "This is one of Medea's kinder mixtures. It erases only recent memories. When you save your father, if you can save him, you should give him this."

Piper couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You want me to dope my dad? You want me to make him forget what he's been through?"

Aphrodite held up the vial. The liquid cast a pink glow over her face. "Your father acts confident, Piper, but he walks a fine line between two worlds. He's worked his whole life to deny the old stories about gods and spirits, yet he fears those stories might be real. He fears that he's shut off an important part of himself, and someday it will destroy him. Now he's been captured by a giant. He's living a nightmare. Even if he survives—if he has to spend the rest of his life with those memories, knowing that gods and spirits walk the earth, it will shatter him. That's what our enemy hopes for. She will break him, and thus break your spirit. Sometimes, dearest, the right kind of love is the one that let's go."

Piper wanted to shout that Aphrodite was wrong. But somehow she couldn't stay angry with her. She exhaled. "Who is she?" Piper demanded. "The one controlling the giants?"

Aphrodite pursed her lips. "You have a strong will," she mused. "I'm never given much credit among the gods. My children are laughed at. They're dismissed as conceited and shallow."

"Some of them are."

Aphrodite laughed. "Granted. Perhaps I'm conceited and shallow, too, sometimes. A girl has to indulge. My point is that love is the most powerful motivator in the world. Ask Andy Jackson—oh, I adore her. She learned her lesson the hard way."

"You know where Andy Jackson is? Because there are a lot of people worrying—"

"Of course there are. I wouldn't expect any less from him," she answered like Piper was just supposed to know who she meant. "But I cannot give you that information. Now, listen to me, Piper. Love spurs mortals to greatness. Their noblest, bravest acts are done for love."

Piper pulled out her dagger and studied its reflective blade. "Like Helen starting the Trojan War?"

"Ah, Katoptris." Aphrodite smiled. "I'm glad you found it. I get so much flack for that war, but honestly, Paris and Helen were meant to be. And the heroes of that war are immortal now—at least in the memories of men. Love is powerful, Piper. It can bring even the gods to their knees. I told this to my son Aeneas when he escaped from Troy. He thought he had failed. He thought he was a loser! But he traveled to Italy—"

"And became the forebear of Rome."

"Exactly. You see, Piper, my children can be quite powerful. You can be quite powerful, because my lineage is unique. I am closer to the beginning of creation than any other Olympian."

"Didn't you... rise from the sea? Standing on a seashell?"

The goddess laughed. "That only credits Botticelli's imagination. I never stood on a seashell, thank you very much. But yes, I rose from the sea. The first beings to rise from Chaos were the Earth and Sky—Gaea and Ouranos. When their son the Titan Kronos killed Ouranos—"

"By chopping him to pieces with a scythe," Piper remembered.

Aphrodite wrinkled her nose. "Yes. The pieces of Ouranos fell into the sea. His immortal essence created seafoam. And from that foam—"

"You were born. So you're—"

"The last child of Ouranos, who was greater than the gods or the Titans. So, in a strange way, I'm the eldest Olympian god. As I said, love is a powerful force. And you, my daughter, are much more than a pretty face. Which is why you already know who is waking the giants, and who has the power to open doors into the deepest parts of the earth."

Aphrodite waited, as if she could sense Piper slowly putting together the pieces of a puzzle. "Gaea," Piper said. "The earth itself. That's our enemy."

"She has slumbered for eons, but she is slowly waking. Even asleep, she is powerful, but once she wakes... we will be doomed. You must defeat the giants before that happens, and lull Gaea back into her slumber. Otherwise the rebellion has only begun. The dead will continue to rise. Monsters will regenerate with even greater speed. The giants will lay waste to the birthplace of the gods. And if they do that, all civilization will burn."

"But Gaea? Mother Earth?"

"Do not underestimate her," Aphrodite warned. "She is a cruel deity. She orchestrated Ouranos's death. She gave Kronos the sickle and urged him to kill his own father. While the Titans ruled the world, she slumbered in peace. But when the gods overthrew them, Gaea woke again in all her anger and gave birth to a new race—the giants—to destroy Olympus once and for all."

"And it's happening again," Piper said. "The rise of the giants."

Aphrodite nodded. "Now you know. What will you do?"

"Me?" Piper clenched her fists. "What am I supposed to do? Put on a pretty dress and sweet-talk Gaea into going back to sleep?"

"I wish that would work," Aphrodite said. "But no, you will have to find your own strengths, and fight for what you love. Like my favored ones, Helen and Paris. Like my son Aeneas. Like Andy Jackson."

"Helen and Paris died," Piper reminded her. "Andy Jackson is missing."

"But Aeneas became a hero," the goddess countered. "The first great hero of Rome. The result will depend on you, Piper, but I will tell you this: The seven greatest demigods must be gathered to defeat the giants, and that effort will not succeed without you. When the two sides meet—you will be the mediator. You will determine whether there is friendship or bloodshed."

"What two sides?"

Piper's vision began to dim.

"I do not always agree with Hera, but she's taken a bold risk, and I agree it must be done. Zeus has kept the two sides apart for too long. Only together will you have the power to save Olympus. Now, wake, and I hope you like the clothes I picked out."

* * *

It was a sunny morning in California when Piper woke up. Her friends sat in chairs around her—all of them with their hands calmly folded across their chests, dozing pleasantly. And they all had new clothes on. Piper looked down at her own outfit and gasped. "Mother!" She yelled louder than she meant. Lena flinched, bumping the table with her knees, and then all of them were awake.

"What?" Hedge demanded. "Fight who? Where?"

"Falling!" Leo grabbed the table. "No—not falling. Where are we?"

Lena blinked, trying to get her bearings. She focused those blue eyes on Piper and made a little choking sound. "What are you wearing?"

Piper probably blushed. She was wearing a turquoise dress with black leggings and black leather boots. She had on her old snowboarding jacket from her dad, which amazingly went with the outfit pretty well.

Leo laughed delighted. "Aphrodite strikes again, huh? You're gonna be the best-dressed warrior in town, Princess of Spartha."

"Hey, Leo." Lena nudged his arm. "You look at yourself recently?"

"What—oh." Leo was wearing pinstripe pants, black leather shoes, a white collarless shirt with suspenders, his tool belt and Ray-Ban sunglasses.

"I think he looks good," said Coach Hedge. "'Course, I look better." Aphrodite had given him a baggy canary yellow suit with two-tone shoes that fit over his hooves.

"Well," Lena said, "at least your mom overlooked me." Lena was dressed simply in jeans and a clean purple T-shirt. Her blonde hair was shining and her eyes were the same color as the sky. Aphrodite's message was clear—this one needs no improvement.

Piper coughed. "How did we get here?"

"Oh, that would be Mellie," Hedge said. "Those winds shot us halfway across the country, I'd guess. We would've been smashed flat on impact, but Mellie's last gift—a nice soft breeze—cushioned our fall."

"And she got fired for us," Leo said. "Man, we suck."

"Ah, she'll be fine," Hedge said. "Besides, she couldn't help herself. I've got that effect on nymphs. I'll send her a message when we're through with this quest and help her figure something out. That is one aura I could settle down with and raise a herd of baby goats."

Leo chose to ignore that. "Now—what's our game plan?"

"Climb the mountain," Hedge said. "Kill everything except Piper's dad. Leave."

"Thank you, General Eisenhower," Lena grumbled.

"Hey, I'm just saying!"

"Guys," Piper said. "There's more you need to know." She told them about their real enemy.

"Gaea?" Leo shook his head. "Isn't that Mother Nature? She's supposed to have, like, flowers in her hair and birds singing around her and deer and rabbits doing her laundry."

"That's Snow White," Piper said.

"Same difference."

"Listen, cupcake." Coach Hedge said. "Piper's telling us some serious stuff, here. Gaea's no softie. I'm not even sure I could take her."

Leo whistled. "Really?"

Hedge nodded. "This earth lady—she and her old man the sky were nasty customers."

"Ouranos," Piper said. She couldn't help looking up at the blue sky, wondering if it had eyes.

"Right," Hedge said. "So Ouranos, he's not the best dad. He throws their first kids, the Cyclopes, into Tartarus. That makes Gaea mad, but she bides her time. Then they have another set of kids—the twelve Titans—and Gaea is afraid they'll get thrown into prison too. So she goes up to her son Kronos—and Gaea's the one who gives him the scythe, and tells him, _'Hey, why don't I call your dad down here? And while he's talking to me, distracted, you can cut him to pieces. Then you can take over the world. Wouldn't that be great?'_ "

"Definitely not Snow White," Leo decided.

"Nah, Kronos was a bad guy," Hedge said. "But Gaea is literally the mother of all bad guys. She's so old and powerful, so huge, that it's hard for her to be fully conscious. Most of the time, she sleeps, and that's the way we like her—snoring."

"But she talked to me," Leo said. "How can she be asleep?"

"Even in her sleep, part of her consciousness is active—dreaming, keeping watch, doing little things like causing volcanoes to explode and monsters to rise. Even now, she's not fully awake. Believe me, you don't want to see her fully awake."

"But she's getting more powerful," Piper said. "She's causing the giants to rise. And if their king comes back—this guy Porphyrion—"

"He'll raise an army to destroy the gods," Lena put in. "Starting with Hera. It'll be another war. And Gaea will wake up fully."

Gleeson nodded. "Which is why it's a good idea for us to stay off the ground as much as possible."

Leo looked warily at Mount Diablo behind them. "So… climbing a mountain. That would be bad."

Piper's heart sank. "Guys, I can't ask you to do this," she said. "This is too dangerous."

"You kidding?" Gleeson belched and showed them his blue carnation smile. "Who's ready to beat stuff up?"


	28. Beyond the Gods

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part XIII — _All of my life I have searched for a land like this one; a wilder, more challenging country I couldn't design._

* * *

"Oh, go-oo-ods!" Andy cried holding her seat. Her eyes were closed, but she was sure her knuckles were white.

She'd flown before. The details were hazy, but she remembered a pegasus named Blackjack. She'd even been in a plane once or twice. But a child of land and sea was called that for a reason—she didn't belong in the air. Every time the plane hit a spot of turbulence, her heart raced, and she was sure Jupiter was slapping them around.

Honestly, why couldn't they have drove all the way to Alaska?

Hazel was reassuring Frank that he'd done everything he could for his grandmother. Frank refused to explain exactly what his 'family gift' was, but as they flew north, he did tell them about his conversation with Mars the night before. "Juno has some sort of plan for us, about the Prophecy of Seven."

"Yeah," Andy grumbled, her eyes still closed. "I didn't like her as Hera. I don't like her any better as Juno."

"You're a daughter of Poseidon, aren't you?" Hazel asked softly. "You are a Greek demigod."

Andy opened her eyes and found the other girl studying her with bright gold eyes. She let out some air she didn't known she'd been holding. "I started to remember in Portland, after the gorgon's blood. It's been coming back to me slowly since then. There's another camp—Camp Half-Blood. That's where I come from." Just saying the name made Andy feel warm inside. The memories were enough to make her want to cry.

Hazel and Frank stared at her as though she'd slipped into another language.

"Another camp," Hazel repeated. "A Greek camp? Gods, if Octavian found out—"

"He'd declare war," Frank said. "He's always been sure the Greeks were out there, plotting against us. He thought Andy was a spy."

"That's why Juno sent me," Andy said. "Uh, I mean—not to spy. I think it was some kind of exchange. Your friend Lena… I think she was sent to my camp."

Frank tapped nervously on the back of his seat. "Mars said Juno wants to unite the Greeks and Romans to fight Gaea. But, jeez—Greeks and Romans have a long history of bad blood."

Hazel took a deep breath. "That's probably why the gods have kept us apart this long."

"Yeah," Andy agreed. "We've got to be careful how we explain this when we get back."

"If we get back," Frank said.

Andy nodded reluctantly. "Look, I trust you guys. I hope you trust me. I feel… well, I feel as close to you two as to any of my old friends at Camp Half-Blood. But with the other demigods, at both camps—there's going to be a lot of suspicion."

Hazel did something Andy wasn't expecting. She leaned over and hugged her. Then she smiled with such affection, it warmed Andy right down to her feet. "Of course we trust you," she said. "We're a family now. Aren't we, Frank?"

"Sure," he said. "Do I get a hug?"

Hazel laughed, but there was nervous tension in it. They were so freaking cute. It was really annoying. They should just be together already. She thought of Anthony for the hundredth time and wondered if she'd live long enough to find him.

"Anyway, what do we do now?" Hazel asked.

Andy took a deep breath. "I've got to contact a friend—to keep my promise to Ella."

"How?" Frank said. "One of those Iris-messages?"

"Still not working," Andy said sadly. "I tried it last night at your grandmother's house. No luck. Maybe it's because my memories are still jumbled. Or the gods aren't allowing a connection. I'm hoping I can contact my friend in my dreams. I'm not sure I can sleep," she hesitated. "But I need to try. We can't leave Ella by herself with those ogres around."

"Yeah," Frank said. "We've still got hours to fly. Take the couch."

Andy nodded. She stretched out and closed her eyes again thinking how lucky she was for having Frank and Hazel as companions. In the odd, terrifying, horrible experience of losing her memory and being taken from her old life, Hazel and Frank were her silver lining.

She dreamed was back in Vancouver, standing in front of the ruins of the Zhang mansion. The Laistrygonians were gone. A Cyclops and a hellhound were searching around.

"Tyson!" she called.

The Cyclops looked around frantically. "Andy? Sister?"

"Tyson, I'm okay. I'm here—well, not really."

Tyson grabbed the air like he was trying to catch butterflies. "Can't see you! Where are you?"

"Tyson, I'm flying to Alaska. I'm okay. I'll be back. Just find Ella. She's a harpy with red feathers. She's hiding in the woods around the house."

"Find a harpy? A red harpy?"

"Yes! Protect her, okay? She's my friend. Get her back to California. There's a demigod camp in the Oakland Hills—Camp Jupiter. Meet me above the Caldecott Tunnel."

"Oakland Hills—California—Caldecott Tunnel," he repeated, efficiently. "Andy is okay? Andy is coming back? I miss you!"

"I miss you, too." Andy tried to keep her voice from cracking. "I'll see you soon. Just be careful! There's a giant's army marching south. Tell Anthony—"

The dream shifted. Andy cursed. She was standing in the hills north of Camp Jupiter, looking down at the Field of Mars and New Rome. At the legion's fort, horns were blowing. Campers scrambled to muster.

The giant's army had arrived.

Polybotes growled. "Tomorrow at sundown is Fortuna's Feast. By then, we must invade!" The monsters cheered. "Soon, the legacy of Rome will be destroyed for the last time!"

Andy woke with a jolt as the plane started its descent. She sat up groggily. "How long was I out?"

Frank stood in the aisle, wrapping his spear and new bow in his ski bag. "A few hours," he said. "We're here."

"Welcome to Alaska," Hazel said. "We're beyond the help of the gods."

* * *

As they took a taxi into downtown Anchorage, Andy told Frank and Hazel about her dreams. They looked anxious but not surprised when she told them about the giant's army.

Frank, however, choked when he heard about Tyson. "You have a half-brother who's a Cyclops?"

"I told you. In the end of the day, everyone related to me." She shrugged. "Which makes him your great-great-great—"

"Please." Frank covered his ears. "Don't even."

"As long as he can get Ella to camp," Hazel said. "I'm worried about her."

Andy nodded. According to Ella, the child of Neptune would drown and the mark of Athena would burn through Rome. That didn't sound like a very good ending for her and Anthony. Which really pissed her off. It was unreal that after all thing would just get worse.

According to Hazel, almost none of the buildings were the same from when she'd lived here. Andy had never smelled air this clean before. The town itself had a weather-beaten look to it, but it was still arctic sky was an amazing combination of turquoise and gold.

Then there were the giants. Dozens of bright-blue men, each thirty feet tall with gray frosty hair, were wading through the forests, fishing in the bay, and striding across the mountains. The mortals didn't seem to notice them. The taxi passed within a few yards of one who was sitting at the edge of a lake washing his feet, but the driver didn't panic.

"Um…" Frank pointed at the blue guy.

"Hyperboreans," Andy said, amazed she remembered the name. "Northern giants. I fought some when Kronos invaded Manhattan."

"Wait," Frank said. "When who did what?"

"Long story. But these guys look… I don't know... peaceful."

"They usually are," Hazel agreed. "I remember them. They're everywhere in Alaska, like bears."

"Bears?" Frank said nervously.

"The giants are invisible to mortals," Hazel said. "They never bothered me, though one almost stepped on me by accident once."

That sounded fairly bothersome to Andy, but the taxi kept driving. None of the giants paid them any attention. The taxi drove through downtown. As the driver turned and headed toward the seashore, Hazel knocked on the glass partition. "Here is good."

They paid the driver and stepped onto Fourth Street. Hazel led them in a daze for a few blocks. The train station wasn't far. They were just in time to buy tickets for the last train south. Soon they were heading south along the coast, watching the landscape go by. Meanwhile, Frank studied a map of Alaska that he'd found in the seat pocket. He located Hubbard Glacier, which looked discouragingly far away from Seward. He kept running his finger along the coastline, frowning with concentration.

"What are you thinking?" Andy asked.

"Just... possibilities," Frank said.

Andy decided to let him be. After about an hour, she started to relax. They bought hot chocolate from the dining car. The seats were warm and comfortable, and she thought about taking a nap. Then a shadow passed overhead. Tourists murmured in excitement and started taking pictures.

"Eagle!" one yelled.

"Eagle?" said another.

"Huge eagle!" said a third.

"That's no eagle," Frank said.

Andy looked up just in time to see the creature make a second pass. It was definitely larger than an eagle, with a sleek black body the size of a Labrador retriever. Its wingspan was at least ten feet across.

"There's another one!" Frank pointed. "Strike that. Three, four. Okay, we're in trouble."

The creatures circled the train like vultures, delighting the tourists. Andy wasn't delighted. The monsters had glowing red eyes, sharp beaks, and vicious talons.

Andy felt for her pen in her pocket. Then several things happened at once. The emergency brake screeched, pitching them forward. Tourists screamed and tumbled through the aisles. The monsters swooped down, shattering the glass roof of the car, and the entire train toppled off the rails.

Andy went weightless; her vision blurred. Claws grabbed her arms and lifted her into the air. Below, train wheels squealed and metal crashed. Glass shattered. Passengers screamed. When her eyesight cleared, she saw the beast that was carrying her aloft. It had the body of a panther—sleek, black, and feline—with the wings and head of an eagle. Its eyes glowed blood-red. Andy squirmed. The monster's front talons were wrapped around her arms like steel bands. She couldn't free herself or reach her sword. She yelled—mostly out of frustration. Then something whistled by her ear. An arrow sprouted from the monster's neck. The creature shrieked and let go.

Andy fell, crashing through tree branches until she slammed into a snowbank. She groaned, looking up at a massive pine tree she'd just shredded. She managed to stand. Nothing seemed broken. Frank stood to her left, shooting down the creatures as fast as he could. Hazel was at his back, swinging her sword at any monster that came close, but there were too many swarming around them—at least a dozen.

Andy drew Riptide. She sliced the wing off one monster and sent it spiraling into a tree, then sliced through another that burst into dust. But the defeated ones began to re-form immediately.

"What are these things?" she yelled.

"Gryphons!" Hazel said. "We have to get them away from the train!"

Andy saw what she meant. The train cars had fallen over, and their roofs had shattered. Tourists were stumbling around and the gryphons were swooping toward anything that moved. The only thing keeping them away from the mortals was a glowing gray warrior in camouflage—Frank's pet spartus. Andy glanced over and noticed Frank's spear was gone.

"Used your last charge?"

"Yeah." Frank shot another gryphon out of the sky. "I had to help the mortals. The spear just dissolved."

Andy felt extremely proud. Frank was truly exceptional.

"Let's move the fight!" she said. "Away from the tracks!" They stumbled through the snow, smacking and slicing gryphons that re-formed from dust every time they were killed.

About fifty yards from the tracks, the trees gave way to an open marsh. Frank was running out of arrows. Hazel was breathing hard. Andy's own sword swings were getting slower. She realized the gryphons weren't trying to kill them—they wanted to pick them up and carry them off somewhere.

Then Andy tripped over something in the tall grass—a circle of scrap metal about the size of a tractor tire. It was a massive bird's nest—a gryphon's nest— with a lot of gold and two pumpkin-sized eggs. Andy jumped into the nest. She pressed her sword tip against one of the eggs.

"Back off, or I break it!"

The gryphons squawked angrily. They buzzed around the nest and snapped their beaks, but they didn't attack. Hazel and Frank stood back to back with Andy, their weapons ready.

"Gryphons collect gold," Hazel said. "They're crazy for it. Look—more nests over there."

Frank knocked his last arrow. "So if these are their nests, where were they trying to take Andy? That thing was flying away with her."

Andy's arms still throbbed where the gryphon had grabbed her. "Alcyoneus," she guessed. "Maybe they're working for him. Are these things smart enough to take orders?"

"I don't know," Hazel said. "I never fought them when I lived here. I just read about them at camp."

"Weaknesses?" Frank asked. "Please tell me they have weaknesses."

Hazel scowled. "Horses. They hate horses—natural enemies, or something. I wish Arion was here!"

One of the gryphons dived in. Andy raised her sword, ready to stab the egg. The monster veered off, but the other gryphons were losing their patience. Andy glanced around the fields. About a quarter mile away, a Hyperborean giant was sitting in the bog, peacefully picking mud from between his toes with a broken tree trunk.

That was that then.

"I've got an idea," Andy said. "Hazel—all the gold in these nests. Do you think you can use it to cause a distraction?"

"I—I guess."

"Just give us enough time for a head start. When I say go, run for that giant."

Frank gaped at her. "You want us to run toward a giant?"

"Trust me," Andy said. "Ready? Go!"

Hazel thrust her hand upward. From a dozen nests across the marsh, golden objects shot into the air. The monsters shrieked and flew after their stuff. Andy and her friends ran. Their feet splashed and crunched through the frozen marsh. Andy poured on speed, but she could hear the gryphons closing behind them.

"Under the giant!" Andy shouted. "Crawl under!"

They scrambled between the massive blue legs and flattened themselves in the mud.

"What's the plan?" Frank hissed. "Get flattened by a blue rump?"

"Lay low," Andy said. "Only move if you have to."

The gryphons arrived in a wave of angry beaks, talons, and wings, swarming around the giant, trying to get under his legs. The giant rumbled in surprise. He grunted, a little more irritated. He swatted at the gryphons, but they squawked in outrage and began pecking at his legs and hands. "Ruh?" the giant bellowed. "Ruh!" He took a deep breath and blew out a wave of cold air. Even under the protection of the giant's legs, Andy could feel the temperature drop. The gryphons' shrieking stopped abruptly, replaced by the thunk, thunk, thunk of heavy objects hitting the mud.

"There," Andy said to her friends as if she had planned the whole thing. "Let's go."

They squirmed out from under the giant. All around the marsh, trees were glazed with frost. Frozen gryphons stuck out of the ground, their wings still spread, beaks open, eyes wide with surprise.

Hazel wiped the ice and mud from her face. "How did you know the giant could do that?"

Andy made a face. "I know lots of things but people are always surprised. It's offensive. Anyway, we'd better move. The gryphons won't stay frozen forever."

* * *

After another couple of hours, they stumbled across a tiny village between the railroad tracks and a two-lane road. They passed a couple of houses, a post office, and some trailers. Everything was dark and closed up.

"I'm sorry," Frank said, suddenly, as they walked.

Andy and Hazel exchanged a look. "About what?" asked Hazel.

"It's just… I was supposed to be in charge of this quest, the centurion, and all. I feel like you guys have had to carry me."

"Not true," Hazel said. "You single-handedly took out three basilisks. You shot down gryphons. And you gave up the last charge on your magic spear to help some defenseless mortals."

"True," Andy said. "You are, hands down, the nicest child of the war god I've ever met... maybe the only nice one."

"I'm supposed to have these powers I haven't figured out how to use," Frank said bitterly. "Now I don't have a spear, and I'm almost out of arrows. And... I'm scared."

"I'd be worried if you weren't scared," Andy said. "We're all scared."

"But the Feast of Fortuna is..." Frank thought about it. "It's after midnight, isn't it? That means it's June twenty-fourth now. The feast starts tonight at sundown. We have to find our way to Hubbard Glacier, defeat a giant who is undefeatable in his home territory, and get back to Camp Jupiter before they're overrun—all in less than eighteen hours."

"And when we free Thanatos," Andy said, "he might claim your life. And Hazel's. Believe me, I know what's coming."

Frank gazed at Hazel. "You're my best friend," he said. "I lost my mom, my grandmother… I can't lose you, too."

Hazel took his hand but said nothing. She obviously didn't want to make promises she couldn't keep.

"Well, I'm not going to lose either of you," Andy promised. "I'm not going to let that happen. And, Frank, you are a leader. We need you."

Frank lowered his head and kept walking. Andy followed him, watching Hazel squeeze his hand tenderly. A lump formed in her throat. She missed Anthony with every part of her being—that was the only thing she was sure of, it was what kept her going. She knew she would never ever forgive Hera or Juno or whatever for taking her away from him. She wanted to punch the goddess in the face until her arm fell off.

With a sigh, she stepped off the road. "Come on, guys."

The ground was squishy, but Andy didn't think much about it until Hazel shouted, "Andy, no!"

Her next step went straight through the ground. Andy sank like a stone until the earth closed over her head—and the earth swallowed her.


	29. Gods & Heroes

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part XVI — _Ancestors, hear my plea, help me not to make a fool of me and to not uproot my family tree._

* * *

The view from the mountain was pretty amazing.

"That's Concord," Lena said, pointing to the north. "Walnut Creek below us. To the south, Danville, past those hills. And that way..." She pointed west, where a ridge of golden hills held back a layer of fog, like the rim of a bowl. "That's the Berkeley Hills. The East Bay. Past that, San Francisco."

"Lena?" Piper touched her arm. "You remember something? You've been here?"

"Yes… no." Lena gave her an anguished look. "Sounds important in my head. I don't know why."

"That's Titan land." Coach Hedge nodded toward the west. "Bad place, Grace. Trust me, this is as close to 'Frisco as we want to get."

Leo tried to move his foot, but his heels were now completely embedded in the dirt. "Hey, guys," he said. "Let's keep moving."

The others noticed the problem.

"Gaea is stronger here," Hedge grumbled. He popped his hooves free from his shoes, then handed the shoes to Leo. "Keep those for me, Valdez. They're nice."

Leo snorted. "Yes, sir, Coach. Would you like them polished?"

"That's varsity thinking, Valdez." Hedge nodded approvingly. "But first, we'd better hike up this mountain while we still can."

"How do we know where the giant is?" Piper asked.

Lena pointed toward the peak. Drifting across the summit was a plume of smoke. From a distance, Leo had thought it was a cloud, but it wasn't. Something was burning. "Smoke equals fire," she said. "We'd better hurry."

Climbing a mountain when the earth was trying to swallow his feet was hard. In no time, Leo had rolled up the sleeves on his collarless shirt, even though the wind was cold and sharp. By the time they neared the crest of the mountain, Leo was the most fashionably dressed sweaty, dirty hero ever. Finally Lena crouched behind a wall of rock. She gestured for the others to do the same. Leo crawled up next to her. Piper had to pull Coach Hedge down.

"I don't want to get my outfit dirty!" Hedge complained.

"Shhh!" Piper said.

Reluctantly, the satyr knelt.

Just over the ridge where they were hiding, in the shadow of the mountain's final crest, was a forested depression about the size of a football field, where the giant Enceladus had set up camp. The giant Enceladus was so large, so horrible, Leo didn't want to look at him. He was thirty feet tall—his skin was bronze but sooty with ash. His face was crudely shaped and his eyes glowed white, and his hair was matted in shaggy dreadlocks down to his shoulders, braided with bones. His legs were scaly green, with claws instead of feet—like the forelegs of a dragon. In his hand, Enceladus held a spear the size of a flagpole.

"Okay," Coach Hedge whispered. "Here's the plan—"

Leo elbowed him. "You're not charging him alone!"

"Aw, c'mon."

Piper choked back a sob. "Look." Just visible on the other side of the bonfire was a man tied to a post. His head slumped like he was unconscious. "Dad," she said.

"There's four of us," Hedge whispered urgently. "And only one of him."

"Did you miss the fact that he's thirty feet tall?" Leo asked.

"Okay," Hedge said. "So you, me, and Grace distract him. McLean sneaks around and frees her dad."

They all looked at Lena. "What?" she asked. "I'm not the leader."

"Yes," Piper said. "You are."

They'd never really talked about it, but no one disagreed, not even Hedge.

Lena sighed, looking completely miserable with the idea. "Uh… I guess Coach Hedge is right. A distraction is Piper's best chance."

"Then let's boogie," Leo said. "Before I come to my senses."

* * *

Piper scrambled along the ridge, trying to keep her head down, while Leo, Lena, and Coach Hedge walked straight into the clearing. Lena summoned her golden lance. She brandished it over her head and yelled, "Giant!" It sounded pretty good, much more confident than Leo had expected it to be.

Enceladus stopped chanting at the flames. He turned toward them and grinned, revealing fangs like a saber-toothed tiger. "Well," the giant rumbled. "You're late for dinner."

Leo didn't like his tone.

Coach Hedge shouted, "Let the movie star go, you big ugly cupcake! Or I'm gonna plant my hoof right up your—"

"Coach," Lena said. "Language."

Enceladus roared with laughter. "I've forgotten how funny satyrs are. When we rule the world, I think I'll keep your kind around. You can entertain me while I eat all the other mortals."

"Is that a compliment?" Hedge frowned at Leo. "I don't think that was a compliment."

Enceladus opened his mouth wide, and his teeth began to glow.

"Scatter!" Leo yelled.

Lena and Hedge dove to the left as the giant blew fire—a furnace blast so hot even Festus would've been jealous. Leo ran to the right, heading for a tree harvester. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lena rise and charge the giant. Coach Hedge ripped off his canary yellow jacket, which was now on fire, and bleated angrily. "I liked that outfit!" Then he raised his club and charged, too. However, before they could get very far, Enceladus slammed his spear against the ground. The entire mountain shook.

The shockwave sent Leo sprawling. He blinked, momentarily stunned. He saw Lena staggering to her feet on the other side of the clearing. Coach Hedge was knocked out cold.

The giant bellowed, "I see you, Piper McLean!" He turned and blew fire at a line of bushes to Leo's right. Piper ran into the clearing like a flushed quail, the underbrush burning behind her. Enceladus laughed. "I'm happy you've arrived. And you brought me my prizes!"

Leo's gut twisted. The giant must've read Leo's expression, because he laughed even louder.

"That's right, son of Hephaestus. I didn't expect you all to stay alive this long, but it doesn't matter. By bringing you here, Piper McLean has sealed the deal. If she betrays you, I'm as good as my word. She can take her father and go. What do I care about a movie star? Swear your loyalty to me, and we have no problem. Only these others must die."

Piper drew her dagger. She looked back and forth between Leo and her dad.

"He'll kill you," Leo warned. "Don't trust him!"

"Oh, come now," Enceladus bellowed. "You know I was born to fight Athena herself? Mother Gaea made each of us giants with a specific purpose, designed to fight and destroy a particular god. I was Athena's nemesis, the anti-Athena, you might say. Compared to some of my brethren—I am small! But I am clever. And I keep my bargain with you, Piper McLean. It's part of my plan!"

Lena had her lance ready.

"You see, Piper, you have a choice," continued Enceladus. "Save your father, or ah, try to save your friends and face certain death."

Piper stepped forward. Her eyes blazed with such rage, even the Earthborn backed away. She radiated power and beauty, but it had nothing to do with her clothes or her makeup. "You will not take the people I love," she said savagely. "None of them." Her words rippled across the clearing with such force some flowers bloomed in the trees.

Lena charged Enceladus, while Piper and Leo rushed to her father. The battle had started well enough. Lena's instincts kicked in, and she rolled away from the giant's first spear thrust and jabbed Enceladus in the ankle. Her javelin managed to pierce the thick dragon hide, and golden ichor—the blood of immortals—trickled down the giant's clawed foot. Enceladus bellowed in pain and blasted her with fire. Lena scrambled away, rolling behind the giant, and struck again behind his knee.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Leo and Piper at the stake, cutting her father free. Coach Hedge was still heroically passed out with his goat tail sticking up in the air.

Enceladus's spear missed her by a millimeter. Lena kept dodging, but the ground stuck to her feet. Gaea was getting stronger, and the giant was getting faster. Enceladus might be slow, but he wasn't dumb. "I'm not some minor monster," Enceladus bellowed. "I am a giant, born to destroy gods! Your little gold toothpick can't kill me, girl."

Lena didn't waste energy replying. She was already tired. The ground clung to her feet, making her feel like she weighed an extra hundred pounds. Leo cut Tristan McLean free and Piper caught him in her arms, then dragged her father below the ridge. Lena raised her javelin to block the giant's next strike—a big mistake. She managed to deflect the spear, but it grazed her shoulder, and her arm went numb. She backed up, trying to lure the giant to the edge of the clearing.

Enceladus could sense her weariness. "The mighty Lena Grace," he taunted. "Yes, we know about you, child of sky and storm. The one who led the assault on Mount Othrys. The one who single-handedly slew the Titan Krios and toppled the black throne."

Lena's mind reeled. There was an overwhelming wave of memories flooding her brain, so fast and messy she almost passed out. Lena took a deep breath and charged. Enceladus let her approach, grinning with anticipation. At the last second, Lena faked a strike and rolled between the giant's legs. She came up quickly, thrusting with all her might, ready to stab the giant in the small of his back, but Enceladus anticipated the trick. He stepped aside with too much speed and agility for a giant, as if the earth were helping him move. He swept his spear sideways, met Lena's javelin—and with a snap like a shotgun blast, the golden weapon shattered.

The force knocked Lena off her feet and squeezed the breath out of her.

When she regained her focus, she was sitting at the rim of a crater. Enceladus stood at the other side, staggering and confused. The javelin's destruction had released so much energy, it had blasted a perfect cone-shaped pit thirty feet deep. Lena wasn't sure how she'd survived. She was out of energy. She had no weapon. And Enceladus was still very much alive.

Lena tried to get up, but her legs were like lead. Enceladus blinked at the destruction, then laughed. "Impressive! Unfortunately, that was your last trick, demigod." Enceladus leaped the crater in a single bound, planting his feet on either side of Lena. The giant raised his spear, its tip hovering six feet over her chest. "And now," Enceladus said, "my first sacrifice to Gaea!"

Then Leo's voice yelled, "Heads up!"

A large black metal wedge slammed into Enceladus with a massive thunk! The giant toppled over and slid into the pit.

"Lena, get up!" Piper called. Her voice energized Lena, shook her out of her stupor. She sat up, her head groggy, while Piper grabbed her under her arms and hauled her to her feet. "Don't die on me," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." Lena felt light-headed, but Piper was about the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Her hair was smoldering. Her face was smudged with soot. She had a cut on her arm, her dress was torn, and she was missing a boot. Beautiful. At that moment, Lena just wanted to look at her and be with her forever. The realization hit her and suddenly she was sure—she was in love.

About a hundred feet behind her, Leo was standing over a piece of construction equipment—a long cannon like thing with a single massive piston, the edge broken clean off. Enceladus was struggling to rise, an ax blade the size of a washing machine stuck in his breastplate. Amazingly, the giant managed to pull the ax blade free. He yelled in pain and the mountain trembled. Enceladus stood. "Good try," he winced. "But I cannot be beaten."

Leo ran up to the girls. "What is it with this guy? Die, already!"

"My fate is preordained," Enceladus said. "Giants cannot be killed by gods or heroes."

"Only by both," Lena said forcing herself to look away from Piper. The giant's smile faltered, and Lena saw in his eyes something like fear. "It's true, isn't it? Gods and demigods have to work together to kill you."

"You will not live long enough to try!" The giant started stumbling up the crater's slope, slipping on the glassy sides.

"Anyone have a god handy?" Leo asked.

Lena's heart filled with dread. She looked at the giant below them, struggling to get out of the pit, and she knew what had to happen. "Leo, if you've got a rope in that tool belt, get it ready." She leaped at the giant with no weapon but her bare hands.

"Enceladus!" Piper yelled. "Look behind you!"

It was an obvious trick, but her voice was so compelling, even Lena bought it. The giant said, "What?" and turned like there was an enormous spider on his back. Lena tackled his legs at just the right moment. The giant lost his balance. Enceladus slammed into the crater and slid to the bottom. While he tried to rise, Lena put her arms around the giant's neck. When Enceladus struggled to his feet, Lena was riding his shoulders. "Get off!" Enceladus screamed. He tried to grab Lena's legs, but she scrambled around, squirming and climbing over the giant's hair.

 _Father_ , she thought. _If I've ever done anything good, anything you approved of, help me now. I offer my own life—just save my friends._

Suddenly she could smell the metallic scent of a storm. Darkness swallowed the sun. Lena yelled to her friends, "Hit the deck!"

Lightning surged through her body, straight through Enceladus, and into the ground. The giant's back stiffened, and Lena was thrown clear. When she regained her bearings, she was slipping down the side of the crater, and the crater was cracking open. The lightning bolt had split the mountain itself. The earth rumbled and tore apart, and Enceladus's legs slid into the chasm. He clawed helplessly at the glassy sides of the pit but fell into the crevice.

The earth shook and Lena fell toward the rift.

"Grab hold!" Leo yelled.

Lena's feet were at the edge of the chasm when she grabbed the rope, and Leo and Piper pulled her up. They stood together, exhausted and terrified, as the chasm closed like an angry mouth. The ground stopped pulling at their feet. The mountainside was on fire. Smoke billowed hundreds of feet into the air. But the only thing they could do was stare at each other, amazed.

Coach Hedge started to move. He sat up with a groan and rubbed his head. He blinked and looked around him at the battle scene. "Did I do this?" Before Lena could reply, Hedge picked up his club and got shakily to his feet. "Yeah, you wanted some hoof? I gave you some hoof, cupcakes! Who's the goat, huh?"

Leo cracked a smile, and Lena couldn't help it—she started to laugh.

* * *

Borrowing the helicopter was easy. Piper needed only a few words through Leo's improvised bullhorn to convince the pilot to land on the mountain. The Park Service copter was big enough for medical evacuations or search and rescue, and when Piper told the very nice ranger pilot lady that it would be a great idea to fly them to the Oakland Airport, she readily agreed. Air traffic control didn't want to let an unscheduled helicopter land at the Oakland Airport—until Piper got on the radio. Then it turned out to be no problem. They unloaded on the tarmac, and everyone looked at Piper.

"What now?" Lena asked her.

She felt uncomfortable. "First thing," she said. "I—I have to get my dad home. I'm sorry, guys."

Their faces fell as they glanced to the unconscious movie star.

"Oh," Leo said. "I mean, absolutely. He needs you right now. We can take it from here."

"I'll take care of him," said Coach Hedge.

Piper stared at him. "You?" she asked.

"I'm a protector," Gleeson said. "That's my job, not fighting." He sounded a little crestfallen at first, but then Hedge straightened, and set his jaw. "Of course, I'm good at fighting, too." He glared at them all, daring them to argue.

"You are," Lena said.

"Terrifying," Leo agreed.

The coach grunted. "But I'm a protector, and I can do this. You need to carry on with the quest, McLean."

"But..." Piper's eyes stung. She knelt beside him and held him. He felt frail. She took out the vial from her pocket. "Aphrodite gave me this, for him," she told the coach. "Make him drink it. It'll make him forget. It'll make it like none of this ever happened." She gazed at him thankful he wasn't awake; it would've made things a hundred times worse. "Maybe someday we'll be ready to talk about this. Until then… I love you, Dad."

The satyr was strong enough to hold Tristan McLean. Piper checked her dad's pocket, and his BlackBerry was still there. She called his chauffeur and when he arrived, Hedge said his goodbyes.

When they were gone, Piper started to cry. She'd been holding it in too long and she just couldn't anymore. Before she knew it, Lena was hugging her, and Leo stood uncomfortably nearby, pulling Kleenex out of his tool belt.

"Your dad's in good hands," Lena said. "You did amazing."

Piper sobbed even more. She allowed herself to be held for six deep breaths. Seven. Then she couldn't indulge herself anymore. They needed her. The helicopter pilot was already looking uncomfortable, like she was starting to wonder why she'd flown them here. "Thank you, guys," she said. "I—" She wanted to let them know how much they meant to her, how she'd never be able to repay—

Then, right next to Lena, the air began to shimmer. An image appeared in the air—a dark-haired girl in silver winter camouflage, holding a bow. Lena stumbled back in surprise. "Thalia!"

"GG, thank the gods," said the Hunter. "This is an Iris-message. Where are you? We found her."

"Oakland. Where are you?"

"The Wolf House! Oakland is good; you're not too far. We're holding off the giant's minions, but we can't hold them forever. Get here before sunset, or it's all over."

"Then it's not too late?" Piper cried.

"Not yet," Thalia said. "But GG—it's worse than I realized. Porphyrion is rising. Hurry."

"But where is the Wolf House?"

"Our last trip," Thalia said, her image starting to flicker. "The park. Jack London. Remember?"

This made no sense to Piper, but Lena looked like she'd been shot. She tottered, her face pale, and the Iris message disappeared.

"Girl, you alright?" Leo asked. "You know where she is?"

"Yes," Lena said. "Sonoma Valley. Not far. Not by air."

Piper turned to the ranger pilot, who'd been watching all this with an increasingly puzzled expression.

"We can't take a mortal into battle," Lena reminded her. "It's too dangerous." She turned to Leo. "Do you think you could fly this thing?"

"Um..." Leo's expression didn't exactly reassure Piper. But then he put his hand on the side of the helicopter, concentrating hard, as if listening to the machine. "Bell 412HP utility helicopter," he said. "Composite four-blade main rotor, cruising speed twenty-two knots, service ceiling twenty-thousand feet. The tank is near full. Sure, I can fly it."

Piper smiled at the ranger again. "You don't have a problem with an under-aged unlicensed kid borrowing your copter, do you? We'll return it."

"I—" The pilot nearly choked on the words: "I don't have a problem with that."

Leo grinned. "Hop in, kids. Uncle Leo's gonna take you for a ride."


	30. Mortal Justice

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part XIV — _Is the death of all I love carried in the drumming of war?_

* * *

"YOUR BOW!" Hazel shouted.

Frank didn't ask questions. He dropped his pack and slipped the bow off his shoulder. Hazel's heart raced. She hadn't thought about this boggy soil. It was even worse than quicksand. It could be twenty feet deep or more, and impossible to escape.

"Hold one end," she told Frank. "Don't let go." She grabbed the other end, took a deep breath, and jumped into the bog. The earth closed over her head.

Instantly, she was frozen in a memory, happy, lying on the grass in a sunny day. Sammy Valdez was beside her, humming merrily.

 _This is a gift from me_ , said the voice of Gaea.

"This is not real!" Hazel mumbled.

 _What is real?_ asked Gaea. _Is your second life real, Hazel? You're supposed to be dead. Is it real that you're sinking into a bog, suffocating?_

"Let me help Andy Jackson!" Hazel tried to force herself back to reality. She could imagine her hand clenched on the end of the bow, but even that was starting to feel fuzzy. Her grip was loosening. The smell of magnolias and roses was overpowering.

 _You want your old life back_ , Gaea said. _I can give you that. This moment can last for years. You can grow up in New Orleans, and your mother will adore you. You'll never have to deal with the burden of your curse. You can be with Sammy—_

"It's an illusion!" Hazel said, choking on the sweet scent of flowers.

 _You are an illusion, Hazel Levesque. You were only brought back to life because the gods have a task for you. I may have used you, but Nico used you and lied about it. You should be glad I captured him._

"Captured?" A feeling of panic rose in Hazel's chest. "What do you mean?"

 _The boy should have known better than to search for the Doors. But no matter—it's not really your concern. Once you release Thanatos, you'll be thrown back into the Underworld to rot forever. Frank and Andy won't stop that from happening. Would real friends ask you to give up your life? Tell me who is lying, and who tells you the truth._

Bitterness welled up inside Hazel. She'd lost her life once. She didn't want to die again.

 _That's right,_ Gaea purred. _You were destined to marry Sammy. Do you know what happened to him after you died in Alaska? He grew up and moved to Texas. He married and had a family. But he never forgot you. He always wondered why you disappeared. He's dead now—a heart attack in the nineteen-sixties. The life you could've had together always haunted him._

"Stop it!" Hazel screamed. "You took that from me!"

 _And you can have it again,_ Gaea said. _I have you in my embrace, Hazel. You'll die anyway. If you give up, at least I can make it pleasant for you. Forget saving Andy Jackson. She belongs to me. I'll keep her safe in the earth until I'm ready to use her. You can have an entire life in your final moments—you can grow up, marry Sammy. All you have to do is let go._

Hazel tightened her grip on the bow. Below her, something grabbed her ankles, but she didn't panic. She knew it was Andy, suffocating, desperately grasping for a chance at life.

"I'll never cooperate with you!" She sneered at the goddess. "LET—US—GO!"

The memory dissolved. Hazel was drowning in mud, one hand on the bow, Andy's hands around her ankles, deep in the darkness. Hazel wiggled the end of the bow frantically. Frank pulled her up with such force it nearly popped her arm out of the socket. When she opened her eyes, she was lying in the grass, covered in muck. Andy sprawled at her feet, coughing and spitting mud.

Frank hovered over them, yelling, "Oh, gods! Oh, gods! Oh, gods!" He dragged Andy farther from the muskeg. "You were down there so long!" Frank cried. "I didn't think—oh, gods, don't ever do something like that again!" He wrapped Hazel in a bear hug.

"Can't—breathe," she choked out.

"Sorry!" Frank went back to toweling and fussing over them. Finally he got them to the side of the road, where they sat and shivered and spit up mud clods.

Hazel couldn't feel her hands. She wasn't sure if she was cold or in shock, but she managed to explain about the muskeg, and the vision she'd seen while she was under.

Andy rubbed her shoulders. Her lips were blue. "You—you saved me, Hazel." She didn't look well, like she had just discovered what fear was. "Don't w-worry. We'll figure out what happened to Nico, I promise."

"Does it seem like Gaea let us go too easily?"

Andy plucked a mud clod from her hair. "Maybe she still wants us as pawns. Maybe she was just saying things to mess with your mind."

"She knew what to say," Hazel agreed.

Frank put his jacket around her shoulders. "This is a real life. You know that, right? We're not going to let you die again." He sounded so determined, Hazel didn't argue.

She glanced at the rising sun—time was running out. She managed to stand. The wind coming off Resurrection Bay was just as cold as she remembered. "We should get going. We're losing time."

Andy gazed down the road. Her lips were returning to their normal color. "Any place where we could clean off?"

Hazel looked at the town below and thought she recognized some warehouses along the shore. "I might know a place we can freshen up."

* * *

Hazel led her friends toward the shoreline. She couldn't believe it, but her old home was still there, leaning over the water on barnacle-encrusted piers. The roof sagged. The walls were perforated with holes like buckshot.

"Come on," she said.

"Uh, you sure it's safe?" Frank asked.

Hazel found an open window and climbed inside. Her friends followed. The room hadn't been used in a long time. Their feet kicked up dust that swirled in the buckshot beams of sunlight.

"It's warmer in here, at least," Frank said. "Guess no running water? Maybe I can go shopping. I'm not as muddy as you guys. I could find us some clothes."

"That would be great," she said.

The floorboards creaked under his feet. "Be back soon."

Once he was gone, Andy and Hazel made temporary camp. Andy set her sword on the floor where it glowed with a faint bronze light. Then she stretched out on the floor. "Thank you for saving me," she said.

Hazel shrugged. "You would have done the same for me."

"Yes," she agreed. "But when I was down in the mud, I remembered that line from Ella's prophecy—about the child of Neptune drowning. I thought... 'This is what it means. I'm drowning in the earth.' I was sure I was dead." Her voice quavered and there were tears in her sea green eyes. "I was never really afraid to die..." she said. "But... I don't want to die right now. I can't. Not before seeing…" she couldn't finish.

"You will see him," Hazel said watching a raven perched on the window. "Besides, that prophecy might not have been complete."

Andy looked at her cautiously. Hazel felt strange reassuring her. Andy was older, and more in command. But Hazel nodded confidently.

"You're going to make it back home. You're going to see him again."

Andy almost smiled. "You'll make it back, too, Hazel. We're in this together. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're too valuable to me, to the camp, and especially to Frank."

"I don't belong in this century. Nico only brought me back so I could correct my mistakes, maybe get into Elysium."

"There's more to your destiny than that. We're supposed to fight Gaea together. I'm going to need you at my side. And Frank—you can see the guy is crazy about you. This life is worth fighting for, Hazel."

Hazel closed her eyes. "Please, don't get my hopes up. I can't—"

The window creaked open. Frank climbed in, triumphantly holding some shopping bags. "Success!" He showed off his prizes. He had bought three sets of fresh clothes, some towels, some soap, some bottled water, and, yes, a huge box of wet wipes. It wasn't exactly a hot shower, but soon they were feeling much better.

"Now we find a boat to Hubbard Glacier," said Hazel.

Suddenly, the raven's cawing changed to a strangled yelp. Where the raven had been, a fat ugly gryphon glared down at them. It burped, and raven feathers fluttered from its beak.

Hazel stood and unsheathed her spatha. Frank knocked an arrow. He took aim, but the gryphon shrieked so loudly the sound echoed off the mountains. Frank flinched, and his shot went wide.

"I think that's a call for help," Andy warned. "We have to get out of here."

With no clear plan, they ran outside and headed for the docks. The gryphon dove after them. Andy slashed at it with her sword, but the gryphon veered out of reach. They took the steps to the nearest pier and raced to the end. The gryphon swooped after them, its front claws extended for the kill. Hazel raised her sword, but an icy wall of water slammed sideways into the gryphon and washed it into the bay. The gryphon squawked and flapped its wings. It managed to scramble onto the pier, where it shook its black fur like a wet dog.

Frank grunted. "Nice one, Andy."

"Yeah," she said. "Didn't know if I could still do that in Alaska. But bad news—look over there." About a mile away, over the mountains, a black cloud was swirling—a whole flock of gryphons, dozens at least.

Frank knocked another arrow. "Not going down without a fight."

Andy raised Riptide. "I'm with you."

Then Hazel heard a sound in the distance—like the whinnying of a horse. A tan blur came ripping down the street and onto the pier. The stallion materialized right behind the gryphon, brought down his front hooves, and smashed the monster to dust.

Hazel had never been so happy in her life. "Arion! Really good horse!"

Frank backed up and almost fell off the pier. "How—?"

"He followed me!" Hazel beamed. "Because he's the best—horse—EVER! Now, get on!"

"All three of us?" Andy said. "Can he handle it?"

Arion whinnied indignantly.

"Alright, no need to be rude," Andy said.

They climbed on, Hazel in front, Frank and Andy balancing precariously behind her. Frank wrapped his arms around her waist and she cried, "Run, Arion! To Hubbard Glacier!"

The horse shot across the water, his hooves turning the top of the sea to steam. He raced over the water at the speed of sound, heating the air around them so that Hazel didn't even feel the cold. It seemed like only minutes before they arrived. The glacier was blue and white with streaks of black. As soon as Arion stopped, Hazel felt the temperature drop. The eeriest thing was a sound like thunder that rolled across the water.

"What is that?" Frank gazed at the clouds above the glacier.

"Ice cracking and shifting," said Hazel. "Millions of tons of ice."

"You mean that thing is breaking up?" Frank asked.

As if on cue, a sheet of ice silently calved off the side of the glacier and crashed into the sea, spraying water and frozen shrapnel several stories high.

"We can't get close to that thing!" Frank said.

"We have to," Andy said. "The giant is at the top."

"But the horse can't… fly, can he?"

Arion nickered.

"Jeez, Hazel," Andy said, "tell your horse to watch his language."

Hazel tried not to laugh. "What did he say?"

"With the cussing removed? He said he can get us to the top."

"Um, hold on, then, you guys," Hazel said nervously. "Arion, giddyup!"

Arion shot toward the glacier like a runaway rocket, barreling straight across the slush like he wanted to play chicken with the mountain of ice. The air grew colder. The crackling of the ice grew louder. Pieces were constantly crumbling off—some no larger than snowballs, some the size of houses.

Then it was over. Arion stood proudly at the top of a ridge of ice that loomed over the void. The sea was now three hundred feet below them. He whinnied a challenge that echoed off the mountains.

" _'Beat that, ya punks!'_ " Andy translate.

Ahead of them stood a frozen Roman camp like a giant-sized ghastly replica of Camp Jupiter. The trenches bristled with ice spikes. The snow-brick ramparts glared blinding white. Hanging from the guard towers, banners of frozen blue cloth shimmered in the arctic sun. There was no sign of life. The gates stood wide open. No sentries walked the walls.

Arion trotted skittishly.

"Frank," Andy said, "how about we go on foot from here?"

Frank sighed with relief. "Thought you'd never ask."

They dismounted and took some tentative steps. The ice seemed stable, covered with a fine carpet of snow so that it wasn't too slippery. Hazel urged Arion forward. Andy and Frank walked on either side, sword and bow ready. They approached the gates without being challenged. Hazel could see straight down the Via Praetoria. At the crossroads, in front of the snow-brick principia, a tall, dark- robed figure stood, bound in icy chains.

"Thanatos," Hazel murmured.

"We've got you," Frank promised taking her hand. "Nobody's taking you away."

Hazel gripped his hand. "I'm alright," she lied.

Andy looked around uneasily. "No defenders? No giant? This has to be a trap."

"Obviously," Frank said. "But I don't think we have a choice."

Before Hazel could change her mind, she urged Arion through the gates. The layout was so familiar—cohort barracks, baths, armory. It was an exact replica of Camp Jupiter, except three times as big.

They stopped ten feet from the robed figure.

"Hello?" Hazel forced out the word. "Mr. Death?"

The hooded figure raised his head. Instantly, the whole camp stirred to life. Figures in Roman armor emerged from everywhere. The ghosts formed ranks and encircled the crossroads. There were about a hundred in all—not an entire legion, but more than a cohort. Most of the shades were on foot, but two soldiers burst out of the stables in a golden chariot pulled by ghostly black steeds. When Arion saw the horses, he stamped the ground in outrage.

Frank gripped his bow. "Yep, here's the trap."

"Thanatos!" Hazel turned to the robed figure. "We're here to rescue you. If you control these shades, tell them—" Her voice faltered. The god's hood fell away and his robes dropped off as he spread his wings, leaving him in only a sleeveless black tunic belted at the waist. His eyes were as honey gold as Hazel's. He was lean and muscular, with a regal face and black hair flowing down his shoulders. His wings glimmered in shades of blue, black, and purple. The god's wrists were shackled in icy manacles, with chains that ran straight into the glacier floor. His feet were bare, shackled around the ankles and also chained.

"Is he Cupid?" Frank asked.

"You compliment me," Thanatos said. "I am frequently mistaken for the god of love. Death has more in common with Love than you might imagine. But I am Death. I assure you."

"We're—we're here to save you," Hazel managed. "Where's Alcyoneus?"

"Save me...?" Thanatos narrowed his eyes. "Do you understand what you are saying, Hazel Levesque? Do you understand what that will mean?"

Andy stepped forward. "We're wasting time." She swung her sword at the god's chains. Celestial bronze rang against the ice, but Riptide stuck to the chain like glue. Frost began creeping up the blade. Andy pulled frantically. Frank ran to help. Together, they just managed to yank Riptide free before the frost reached their hands.

"That won't work," Thanatos said simply. "As for the giant, he is close. These shades are not mine. They are his."

"So how do we get you out?" Hazel demanded.

Thanatos turned his attention back to her. "Daughter of Pluto, child of death and gems, you of all people should not wish me released."

"Don't you think I know that?" Hazel's eyes stung, but she was done being afraid. "Listen, Death." She drew her cavalry sword, and Arion reared in defiance. "I didn't come back from the Underworld and travel thousands of miles to be told that I'm stupid for setting you free. If I die, I die. I'll fight this whole army if I have to. Just tell us how to break your chains."

Thanatos studied her for a heartbeat. "Interesting. You do understand that these shades were once demigods like you. They fought for Rome. They died without completing their heroic quests. Like you, they were sent to Asphodel. Now Gaea has promised them a second life if they fight for her today. Of course, if you release me and defeat them, they will have to return to the Underworld where they belong. For treason against the gods, they will face eternal punishment. They are not so different from you, Hazel Levesque. Are you sure you want to release me and damn these souls forever?"

Frank clenched his fists. "That's not fair! Do you want to be freed or not?"

"Fair… son of justice..." Death mused. "You'd be amazed how often I hear that word, Frank Zhang, and how meaningless it is. Is it fair that your life will burn so short and bright? Was it fair when I guided your mother to the Underworld?"

Frank staggered like he'd been punched.

"No," Death said sadly. "Not fair. And yet it was her time. There is no fairness in Death. If you free me, I will do my duty. But of course these shades will try to stop you."

"So if we let you go," Andy summed up, "we get mobbed by a bunch of black vapor dudes with gold swords. Fine. How do we break those chains?"

Thanatos smiled. "Only the fire of life can melt the chains of death."

"Without the riddles, please?" Andy asked.

Frank drew a shaky breath. "It isn't a riddle."

"Frank, no," Hazel said weakly. "There's got to be another way."

Laughter boomed across the glacier. A rumbling voice said: "My friends. I've waited so long!"

Standing at the gates of the camp was Alcyoneus. He had metallic golden skin and his rust-red dragon legs pounded against the ice as he entered the camp. The giant approached, grinning at Hazel with his solid silver teeth.

"Ah, Hazel Levesque," he said, "you cost me dearly! If not for you, I would have risen decades ago, and this world would already be Gaea's. But no matter!" He spread his hands, showing off the ranks of ghostly soldiers. "Welcome, Andy Jackson! Welcome, Frank Zhang! I am Alcyoneus, the bane of Pluto, the new master of Death. And this is your new legion."


	31. Cold Presence

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part XVII — _So cut through the heart, cold and clear, strike for love and strike for fear._

* * *

Piloting the chopper, Leo went back and forth between confidence and panic. If he didn't think about it, he found himself automatically flipping the right switches, checking the altimeter, easing back on the stick, and flying straight. If he allowed himself to consider what he was doing, he started freaking out.

"Going okay?" Piper asked from the copilot's seat. She sounded more nervous than he was, so Leo put on a brave face.

"Aces," he said. "So what's the Wolf House?"

Lena knelt between their seats. "An abandoned mansion in the Sonoma Valley. A demigod built it—Jack London."

Leo couldn't place the name. "He an actor?"

"Writer," Piper said. "Adventure stuff, right? Call of the Wild? White Fang?"

"Yeah," Lena said. "He was a son of Mercury—I mean, Hermes. He was an adventurer, traveled the world. He was even a hobo for a while. Then he made a fortune writing. He bought a big ranch in the country and decided to build this huge mansion—the Wolf House."

"Named that 'cause he wrote about wolves?" Leo guessed.

"Partially. But the site, and the reason he wrote about wolves—he was dropping hints about his personal experience. There're a lot of holes in his life story—how he was born, who his dad was, why he wandered around so much—stuff you can only explain if you know he was a demigod."

"So Jack London went to Camp Half-Blood," Leo guessed.

"No," Lena said. "No, he didn't."

"Sister, you're freaking me out with the mysterious talk. Are you remembering your past or not?"

"Pieces. Only pieces. None of it good. The Wolf House is on sacred ground. It's where London started his journey as a child—where he found out he was a demigod. That's why he returned there. He thought he could live there, claim that land, but it wasn't meant for him. The Wolf House was cursed. It burned in a fire a week before he and his wife were supposed to move in. A few years later, London died, and his ashes were buried on the site."

"So," Piper said, "how do you know all this?"

A shadow crossed Lena's face. "I started my journey there too. It's a powerful place for demigods, a dangerous place. If Gaea can claim it, use its power to entomb Hera on the solstice and raise Porphyrion—that might be enough to awaken the earth goddess fully."

The helicopter shuddered. "Thirty minutes out," Leo told his friends, though he wasn't sure how he knew. "If you want to get some rest, now's a good time."

Lena strapped herself into the back of the helicopter and passed out almost immediately. Piper and Leo stayed wide-awake.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Leo said, "Your dad'll be fine, you know. Nobody's gonna mess with him with that crazy goat around."

"My dad?" she said thoughtfully. "Yeah, I know. I was thinking about Lena. I'm worried about her."

Leo nodded. The closer they got to that bank of dark clouds, the more Leo worried, too. "She's starting to remember. That's got to make her a little edgy."

"But what if... what if she's a different person?"

"Nah," Leo decided. "After all we've been through? I can't see it. We're a team. Lena can handle it."

Piper smoothed her blue dress. "I hope you're right. I need her..." she cleared her throat. "I mean I need to trust her..."

"Hey, don't worry," Leo said. "Piper, you're the strongest, most powerful Princess of Sparta I've ever met. You can trust yourself. For what it's worth, you can trust me too."

The helicopter dipped in a wind shear, and Leo almost jumped out of his skin. He cursed and righted the chopper.

Piper laughed nervously. "Trust you, huh?"

"Ah, shut up, already." But he grinned at her.

Then they hit the storm clouds. Frost built up around the edges of the glass, and slushy waves of ice blotted out his view.

"An ice storm?" Piper shouted over the engine and the wind. "Is it supposed to be this cold in Sonoma?"

Lena woke up quickly. She crawled forward, grabbing their seats for balance. "We've got to be getting close."

Leo was too busy wrestling with the stick to reply. Suddenly it wasn't so easy to drive the chopper. Its movements turned sluggish and jerky. The whole machine shuddered in the icy wind. The helicopter probably hadn't been prepped for cold-weather flying. The controls refused to respond, and they started to lose altitude.

"There!" Lena shouted.

A small valley opened up before them, with the murky shape of a building in the middle. Leo aimed the helicopter straight for it. Trees cracked and exploded at the edges of the clearing. Shapes moved through the mist. Combat seemed to be everywhere. He set down the helicopter in an icy field about fifty yards from the house and killed the engine.

The sounds of combat rang across the valley. The snow and mist made it hard to tell for sure, but there seemed to be a circle of fighting all around the Wolf House. Behind them loomed Jack London's dream home—a massive ruin of red and gray stones and rough-hewn timber beams.

"GG!" a girl's voice called.

Thalia appeared from the fog, her bow in her hand, and her quiver almost empty. She ran toward them, but made it only a few steps before a six-armed ogre—burst out of the storm behind her, a raised club in each hand.

"Look out!" Leo yelled. They rushed to help, but Thalia had it under control. She launched herself into a flip, notching an arrow as she pivoted like a gymnast and landed in a kneeling position. The ogre got a silver arrow right between the eyes and melted into a pile of clay.

Thalia stood and retrieved her arrow, but the point had snapped off. "That was my last one." She kicked the pile of clay resentfully. "Stupid ogre."

"Nice shot, though," Leo said.

Thalia ignored him as usual. She hugged Lena and nodded to Piper. "Just in time. My Hunters are holding a perimeter around the mansion, but we'll be overrun any minute."

"By ogres?" Lena asked.

"Earthborn," she corrected. "And wolves—Lycaon's minions. Also storm spirits—"

"But we gave them to Aeolus!" Piper protested.

"Who tried to kill us," Leo reminded her. "Maybe he's helping Gaea again."

"I don't know," Thalia said. "But the monsters keep re-forming almost as fast as we can kill them. We took the Wolf House with no problem: surprised the guards and sent them straight to Tartarus. But then this freak snowstorm blew in. Wave after wave of monsters started attacking. Now we're surrounded. I don't know who or what is leading the assault, but I think they planned this. It was a trap to kill anyone who tried to rescue Hera."

"Where is she?" Lena asked.

"Inside," Thalia said. "We tried to free her, but we can't figure out how to break the cage. It's only a few minutes until the sun goes down. Hera thinks that's the moment when Porphyrion will be reborn. Plus, most monsters are stronger at night. If we don't free Hera soon—" She didn't need to finish the thought.

Leo, Lena, and Piper followed her into the ruined mansion. Lena stepped over the threshold and immediately collapsed.

"Hey!" Leo caught her. "None of that. What's wrong?"

"This place..." Lena shook her head. "Sorry... It came rushing back to me."

"So you have been here," Piper said.

"We both have," Thalia said. "This is where my mom took us when GG was a child. She left her here, told me she was dead. She just disappeared."

"She gave me to the wolves," Lena murmured. "At Hera's insistence. She gave me to Lupa."

"Who is Lupa?" Thalia frowned.

"Maybe this isn't the time for questions," Leo suggested. "Show us the goddess."

Once inside, Lena seemed to get his bearings. She led them to an outside courtyard with an empty reflecting pool. At the bottom of the pool, just as Lena had described from her dream, two spires of rock and root tendrils had cracked through the foundation. Near one of the spires, Leo could make out the shape of a head, wide shoulders, a massive chest and arms, like a creature was rising from the earth. On the opposite end of the pool, there was a cage where stood Tía Callida.

She looked like a regular mortal woman, his good old psychotic babysitter. Leo dropped into the pool and approached the cage. "Hola, Tía. Little bit of trouble?"

She crossed her arms and sighed in exasperation. "Don't inspect me like I'm one of your machines, Leo Valdez. Get me out of here!"

Thalia stepped next to him and looked at the cage with distaste—or maybe she was looking at the goddess. "We tried everything we could think of, Leo, but maybe my heart wasn't in it. If it was up to me, I'd just leave her in there."

"Ohh, Thalia Grace," the goddess said. "When I get out of here, you'll be sorry you were ever born."

"Save it!" Thalia snapped. "You've been nothing but a curse to every child of Zeus for ages. You sent a bunch of intestinally challenged cows after Tony—"

"He was disrespectful!"

"And you took my sister!" Thalia's voice cracked with emotion. "Here—on this spot. You ruined our lives. We should leave you to Gaea!"

"Hey," Lena intervened. "Thalia—I know. But this isn't the time. You should help your Hunters."

Thalia clenched her jaw. "Fine. For you, GG. But if you ask me, she isn't worth it." Thalia turned, leaped out of the pool, and stormed from the building.

Leo turned to Hera with grudging respect. "Intestinally challenged cows?"

"Focus on the cage, Leo," she grumbled. "And Lena—you are wiser than your sister. I chose my daughter well."

"I'm not your daughter," Lena said. "I'm only helping you because you stole my memories and you're better than the alternative. Speaking of which, what's going on with that?" She nodded to the other spire that looked like a creature.

"That, Lena," Hera said, "is the king of the giants being reborn."

"Gross," Piper said.

"Indeed," Hera said. "Porphyrion, the strongest of his kind. Gaea needed a great deal of power to raise him again —my power. For weeks I've grown weaker as my essence was used to grow him a new form."

"So you're like a heat lamp," Leo guessed. "Or fertilizer."

The goddess glared at him. "Joke all you wish," Hera said in a clipped tone. "But at sundown, it will be too late. The giant will awake. He will offer me a choice: marry him, or be consumed by the earth. And I cannot marry him. We will all be destroyed. And as we die, Gaea will awaken."

Leo frowned at the giant's spire. "Can't we blow it up or something?"

"Without me, you do not have the power," Hera said. "You might as well try to destroy a mountain."

"Done that once today," Jason said.

"Just hurry up and let me out!" Hera demanded.

Lena scratched her head. "Leo, can you do it?"

"I don't know." Leo tried not to panic. "Besides, if she's a goddess, why hasn't she busted herself out?"

Hera paced furiously around her cage, cursing in Ancient Greek. "Use your brain, Leo Valdez. I picked you because you're intelligent. Once trapped, a god's power is useless. Your own father trapped me once in a golden chair. It was humiliating! I had to beg—beg him for my freedom and apologize for throwing him off Olympus."

"Sounds fair," Leo said.

Hera gave him the godly stink-eye. "I've watched you since you were a child, son of Hephaestus, because I knew you could aid me at this moment. If anyone can find a way to destroy this abomination, it is you."

"But it's not a machine. It's like Gaea thrust her hand out of the ground and..." Leo felt dizzy. "Hold on. I do have an idea. Piper, I'm going to need your help. And we're going to need time."

The temperature dropped. Venti rushed in—but instead of winged men, these were shaped like horses. Behind them came red-eyed wolves and the six-armed Earthborn.

Piper drew her dagger. Lena grabbed an ice-covered plank off the pool floor. Leo reached into his tool belt and drew a hammer.

One of the wolves padded forward. It was dragging a human-size statue by the leg. At the edge of the pool, the wolf opened its maw and dropped the statue for them to see—an ice sculpture of a girl, an archer with short spiky hair and a surprised look on her face.

"Thalia!" Lena rushed forward, but Piper and Leo pulled her back. "Who did this?" she yelled. Her body crackled with electricity. "I'll kill you myself!"

From somewhere behind the monsters, Leo heard a girl's laughter, clear and cold. She stepped out of the mist in her snowy white dress, a silver crown atop her long black hair. " _Bon soir, mes amis,_ " said Khione, the goddess of snow. She smiled, her dark eyes glittering, as a dagger of ice grew in her hand.

"What've you done?" Lena demanded.

"Oh, so many things," the snow goddess purred. "Your sister's not dead, if that's what you mean. She and her Hunters will make fine toys for our wolves. I thought we'd defrost them one at a time and hunt them down for amusement. Let them be the prey for once." The wolves snarled appreciatively. "Yes, my dears." Khione kept her eyes on Lena. "Your sister almost killed their king, you know. Lycaon's off in a cave somewhere, no doubt licking his wounds, but his minions have joined us to take revenge for their master. And soon Porphyrion will arise, and we shall rule the world."

"Traitor!" Hera shouted. "You meddlesome, D-list goddess! You aren't worthy to pour my wine, much less rule the world."

Khione sighed. "Tiresome as ever, Queen Hera. I've been wanting to shut you up for millennia." Khione waved her hand, and ice encased the prison, sealing in the spaces between the earthen tendrils. "That's better," the snow goddess said. "Now, demigods, about your death—"

"You're the one who tricked Hera into coming here," Lena said. "You gave Zeus the idea of closing Olympus."

"Naturally. Like snow, my voice is quiet and gentle, and very cold. It's easy for me to whisper to the other gods, especially when I am only confirming their own deepest fears. I also whispered in Aeolus's ear that he should issue an order to kill demigods. It is a small service for Gaea, but I'm sure I will be well rewarded when her sons the giants come to power."

"You could've killed us in Quebec," Lena said. "Why let us live?"

Khione wrinkled her nose. "Messy business, killing you in my father's house, especially when he insists on meeting all visitors. My father is an old fool. He lives in fear of Zeus and Aeolus, but he's still powerful. Soon enough, when my new masters have awakened, I will depose Boreas and take the throne of the North Wind, but not just yet. Besides, my father did have a point. Your quest was suicidal. I fully expected you to fail."

"And to help us with that," Leo said, "you knocked our dragon out of the sky over Detroit. Those frozen wires in his head—that was your fault. You're gonna pay for that."

"You're also the one who kept Enceladus informed about us," Piper added. "We've been plagued by snowstorms the whole trip."

"Yes, I feel so close to all of you now!" Khione said. "Once you made it past Omaha, I decided to asked Lycaon to track you down so Lena could die here, at the Wolf House." Khione smiled at her. "You see, Lena, your blood spilled on this sacred ground will taint it for generations. Your demigod brethren will be outraged, especially when they find the bodies of these two from Camp Half-Blood. They'll believe the Greeks have conspired with giants. It will be... delicious."

Piper and Leo didn't seem to understand what she was saying. But Lena knew. Her memories were returning enough for her to realize how dangerously effective Khione's plan could be. "You'll set demigods against demigods," she said.

"It's so easy!" said Khione. "As I told you, I only encourage what you would do anyway."

"But why?" Piper spread her hands. "Khione, you'll tear the world apart. The giants will destroy everything. You don't want that. Call off your monsters."

Khione hesitated, then laughed. "Your persuasive powers are improving, girl. But I am a goddess. You can't charm-speak me. We wind gods are creatures of chaos! I'll overthrow Aeolus and let the storms run free. If we destroy the mortal world, all the better! They never honored me, even in Greek times. When we retake the ancient places, I will cover the Acropolis in snow."

"The ancient places." Leo's eyes widened. "That's what Enceladus meant about destroy the roots of the gods. He meant Greece."

"You could join me, son of Hephaestus," Khione said. "It would be enough for my plan if these other two were to die. Reject that ridiculous destiny the Fates have given you. Live and be my champion, instead. Your skills would be quite useful."

Leo looked stunned. He glanced behind him, like Khione might be talking to somebody else. Then Leo laughed so hard, he doubled over. "Yeah, join you. Right. Until you get bored of me and turn me into a Leosicle? Lady, nobody messes with my dragon and gets away with it."

She shot a blast of wintry sleet at the demigods, but Leo held up his hand. A wall of fire roared to life in front of them, and the snow dissolved in a steamy cloud.

Leo grinned. "See, lady, that's what happens to snow in Texas. It—freaking—melts."

Khione hissed. "Enough of this. Hera is failing. Porphyrion is rising. Kill the demigods. Let them be our king's first meal!"

Lena hefted her icy wooden plank and the monsters charged.


	32. Family Gift

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part XV — _I can finally see it, now I have to believe all those precious stories, all the world is made of faith._

* * *

 _There is no fairness in Death._ Those words were ringing in Frank's brain. Because he understood what he had to do to break those chains. Mars had warned him—Duty. Sacrifice. They mean something. Frank understood why his mother never came home. Some things were worth dying for.

This was just Frank's time.

"Hazel." He tried to keep his voice steady. "That package you're keeping for me? I need it."

Hazel glanced at him in dismay. Sitting on Arion, she looked like a queen, powerful and beautiful. "Frank, no. There has to be another way."

"Please. I—I know what I'm doing."

Thanatos smiled and lifted his manacled wrists. "You're right, Frank Zhang. Sacrifices must be made."

The giant Alcyoneus stepped forward, his reptilian feet shaking the ground. "What package do you speak of, Frank Zhang? Have you brought me a present?"

"Nothing for you, Tiny One," Frank said. "Except a whole lot of pain."

The giant roared with laughter. "Spoken like a child of Mars! Too bad I have to kill you. And this one... my, my, I've been waiting to meet the famous Andy Jackson." The giant grinned. "I've followed your progress, child of land and sea. Your fight with Kronos? Well done. Gaea hates you above all others—except perhaps for that upstart Lena Grace. I'm sorry I can't kill you right away, but my brother Polybotes wishes to keep you as a pet. He thinks it will be amusing when he destroys Neptune to have the god's favorite child on a leash. After that, of course, Gaea has plans for you."

"Yeah, flattering." Andy raised Riptide. "But actually I'm a daughter of Poseidon. I'm Greek, you dick."

The ghosts stirred.

"Greek, Roman, it doesn't matter," the giant said easily. "We will crush both camps underfoot. You see, the Titans didn't think big enough. They planned to destroy the gods in their new home of America. We giants know better! To kill a weed, you must pull up its roots. My forces are destroying your little Roman camp and my brother Porphyrion has awaken. We will destroy the gods at their source."

"The source?" Frank asked. "You mean Greece?"

Alcyoneus chuckled. "No need to worry about that, son of Mars. You won't live long enough to see our ultimate victory. I will replace Pluto as lord of the Underworld. I already have Death in my custody. With Hazel Levesque in my service, I will have all the riches under the earth as well!"

Hazel gripped her spatha. "I don't do service."

"Oh, but you gave me life!" Alcyoneus said. "True, we hoped to awaken Gaea during World War II. That would've been glorious. But really, the world is in almost as bad a shape now. Soon, your civilization will be wiped out. The Doors of Death will stand open. Those who serve us will never perish. Alive or dead, you three will join my army."

"If I raised you from the earth, then I shall put you right back. I'm the daughter of Pluto. You will bow to me."

"Ah, little Hazel." Alcyoneus planted his staff on the ice. "Are you sure you will not join us of your own free will? You could be quite precious to us. Why die again?"

Hazel's eyes flashed with anger. She looked down at Frank and pulled the wrapped-up piece of firewood from her coat. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said.

She pursed her lips. "You're my best friend, too, Frank. I should have told you that." She tossed him the stick. "And Andy... keep him safe for me."

Andy gazed at the ranks of ghostly Romans. "Easy."

"I've got Tiny One," Hazel said and charged the giant.

Frank unwrapped the firewood and knelt at the feet of Thanatos. He was aware of Andy standing over him, swinging her sword and yelling in defiance as the ghosts closed in. He heard the giant bellow and Arion whinny angrily, but he didn't dare look. His hands trembling, he held his piece of tinder next to the chains on Death's right leg. He thought about flames, and instantly the wood blazed. Horrible warmth spread through Frank's body. The icy metal began to melt.

"Good," Thanatos said. "Very good, Frank Zhang." With a clank, the first chain broke. Quickly, Frank stabbed the firewood at the chain on Death's other leg.

Andy was a whirlwind. A miniature hurricane of water and ice vapor churned around her as she waded through the enemy, knocking Roman ghosts away, deflecting arrows and spears. She moved through the enemy lines and Frank understood why—one of the black vapory ghosts was holding a pole with a golden eagle, icicles frozen to its wings—the legion's standard.

Frank watched as Andy plowed through a line of legionnaires, scattering their shields with her personal cyclone. She knocked down the standard bearer and grabbed the eagle. "You want it back?" she shouted at the ghosts. "Come and get it!" She drew them away, and Frank couldn't help being awed by her bold strategy—the ghosts had to protect their eagle. Still, maintaining a storm like that was difficult and Andy's face was already beaded with sweat.

After the third chain snapped, the piece of tinder was almost gone. Frank thrust it at the last shackle. His body was racked with pain. Yellow splotches danced in his eyes. He saw Andy at the end of the Via Principalis, holding off the army of ghosts. She had backed up almost as far as she could go. Behind her was the side gate of the camp, and about twenty feet beyond that, the edge of the glacier.

As for Hazel, she and Alcyoneus had managed to destroy most of the barracks in their battle. Now they were fighting in the wreckage at the main gate. Arion was playing a dangerous game of tag, charging around the giant while Alyconeus swiped at them with his staff, knocking over walls and cleaving massive chasms in the ice. Only Arion's speed kept them alive.

Finally, Death's last chain snapped. With a desperate yelp, Frank jabbed his firewood into a pile of snow and extinguished the flame. His pain faded. He was still alive. But when he took out the piece of tinder, it was no more than a stub, smaller than a candy bar.

Thanatos raised his arms. "Free," he said with satisfaction.

"Great." Frank blinked the spots from his eyes. "Then do something!"

Thanatos gave him a calm smile. "Do something? Of course. I will watch. Those who die in this battle will stay dead."

"Thanks," Frank muttered, slipping his firewood into his coat. "Very helpful."

"You're most welcome," Thanatos said agreeably.

"Andy!" Frank yelled. "They can die now!"

She nodded understanding, but she looked worn out. Her hurricane was slowing down. Her strikes were getting slower. The entire ghostly army had her surrounded, gradually forcing her toward the edge of the glacier.

Frank took one step toward Andy. Then, from across the camp, Hazel yelled in pain. Arion screamed as the giant got a lucky shot. His staff sent horse and rider tumbling over the ice, crashing into the ramparts.

"Hazel!" Frank glanced back at Andy—he couldn't be in two places at once.

"Go help her!" Andy yelled, holding the golden eagle aloft. "I've got these bitches!" She was about to be overwhelmed, but Frank ran to Hazel's aid. She was half-buried in a collapsed pile of snow-bricks. Arion stood over her, trying to protect her, rearing and swatting at the giant with his front hooves.

The giant laughed. "Hello, little pony. You want to play?" Alcyoneus raised his icy staff.

Frank was too far away to help, but he imagined himself rushing forward, his feet leaving the ground.

 _Be anything._

His body became smaller and lighter. His arms stretched into wings, and his sight became a thousand times sharper. He soared upward, then dove at the giant with his talons extended, his razor-sharp claws raking across the giant's eyes. Alcyoneus bellowed in pain. He staggered backward as Frank landed in front of Hazel and returned to his normal form.

"Frank..." She stared at him in amazement, a cap of snow dripping off her head. "What just—how did—?"

"Fool!" Alcyoneus shouted. "I am immortal in my homeland, Frank Zhang! And thanks to your friend Hazel, my new homeland is Alaska. You cannot kill me here!"

"We'll see," Frank said. Power coursed through his arms and legs. "Hazel, get back on your horse."

The giant charged, and Frank charged to meet him. As he ran, his body became heavier, thicker, rippling with muscles. He crashed into the giant as a full-grown grizzly, a thousand pounds of pure force. He was still small compared to Alcyoneus, but he slammed into the giant with such momentum, Alcyoneus toppled into an icy watchtower that collapsed on top of him.

Frank sprang at the giant's head. A swipe of his claw was like a heavyweight fighter swinging a chain saw. Frank bashed the giant's face back and forth until he fell to the ground. Frank changed to his regular form. He grabbed a silver shield and hit the giant some more. His backpack was still with him, so Frank grabbed a rope and quickly made a noose, and fastened it around the giant's scaly dragon foot. Frank looked back at Hazel. "How far can Arion pull this guy?"

Hazel just stared at him. "You—you were a bird. Then a bear. And—"

"We need to drag this guy inland, as fast and far as we can."

"But Andy!" Hazel said.

Through the ruins of the camp, Frank saw Andy with her back to the edge of the cliff. Her hurricane was gone. She held Riptide in one hand and the legion's golden eagle in the other. The entire army of shades edged forward, their weapons bristling.

"Andy!" Frank yelled.

She glanced over and saw the fallen giant and seemed to understand what was happening. She yelled, "Go!" Then she slammed Riptide into the ice at her feet. The entire glacier shuddered. Ghosts fell to their knees. Behind Andy, a wave surged up from the bay—a wall of gray water even taller than the glacier. Water shot from the chasms and crevices in the ice. As the wave hit, the back half of the camp crumbled. The entire edge of the glacier peeled away, cascading into the void—carrying buildings, ghosts, and Andy Jackson over the edge.

Frank was so stunned that Hazel had to yell his name a dozen times before he snapped back to reality. Thanatos glided toward them on his black wings, his expression serene. "Ah, yes," he said with satisfaction. "There go some souls. Drowning, drowning. You'd best hurry, my friends, or you'll drown, too."

"But Andy... Is she—?"

"Too soon to tell. As for this one..." Thanatos looked down at Alcyoneus with distaste. "You'll never kill him here. You know what to do?"

Frank nodded numbly. "I think so."

"Then our business is complete."

Frank and Hazel exchanged nervous looks.

"Um..." Hazel faltered. "You mean you won't... you're not going to—"

"Claim your life?" Thanatos asked. "You're not on the list," he said. "Pluto gives me specific orders for escaped souls, you see. For some reason, he has not issued a warrant for yours."

Hazel looked as if several thousand pounds of worry had just been lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you."

"Urgg," Alcyoneus mumbled. Frank hit him over the head again.

"As for you, Frank Zhang," said Death, "it isn't your time, either. You've got a little fuel left to burn. But don't think I'm doing either of you a favor. We will meet again under less pleasant circumstances."

The cliff was still crumbling, the edge only twenty feet away now. Arion whinnied impatiently.

"What about the Doors of Death?" he said. "Where are they? How do we close them?"

"Ah, yes." A look of irritation flickered across Thanatos's face. "The Doors of Me. Closing them would be good, but I fear it is beyond my power. How you would do it, I haven't the faintest idea. I can't tell you exactly where they are. The location isn't – well, it's not entirely a physical place. They must be located through questing. I can tell you to start your search in Rome. The original Rome. You will need a special guide. Only one sort of demigod can read the signs that will ultimately lead you to the Doors of Me."

"What about my brother?" Hazel asked. "Is Nico alive?"

"You will find the answer in Rome. And now I must fly south to your Camp Jupiter. I have a feeling there will be many souls to reap, very soon. Farewell, demigods, until we meet again." Thanatos dissipated into black smoke.

The cracks widened in the ice under Frank's feet. "Hurry!" he told Hazel. "We've got to take Alcyoneus about ten miles due north!" He climbed onto the giant's chest and Arion took off, racing across the ice, dragging Alcyoneus like the world's ugliest sled.

* * *

It was a short trip. Frank didn't have to knock out Alcyoneus too many times, because the giant's head kept bouncing and hitting the ice. Finally Arion zoomed between two mountains into a valley of ice and rocks and the giant's golden skin paled as if it were turning to brass.

"Here!" Frank shouted.

Arion veered to one side. Hazel cut the rope, and Alcyoneus went skidding past. Frank leaped off just before the giant slammed into a boulder. Immediately Alcyoneus jumped to his feet. "What? Where? Who?" His nose was bent in an odd direction. He pounded the nearest boulder to pieces with his fist. "You dare take me for a sleigh ride?" He tensed and sniffed the air. "That smell… like snuffed-out souls. Thanatos is free, eh? Bah! It doesn't matter. Gaea still controls the Doors of Death. Now, why have you brought me here, son of Mars?"

"To kill you," Frank said. "Next question?"

The giant's eyes narrowed. "I've never known a child of Mars who can change his form, but that doesn't mean you can defeat me. Do you think your stupid soldier of a father gave you the strength to face me in one-on-one combat?"

Hazel drew her sword. "How about two on one?"

The giant growled and charged at Hazel, but Arion nimbly darted out of the way. Hazel slashed her sword across the back of the giant's calf. Alcyoneus stumbled. "You can't kill me!"

Hazel made a grabbing gesture with her free hand. An invisible force yanked the giant's jewel-encrusted hair backward. Hazel rushed in, slashed his other leg, and raced away before he could regain his balance.

"Stop that!" Alcyoneus shouted. "This is Alaska. I am immortal in my homeland!"

"Actually," Frank said, "I have some bad news about that. See, I got more from my dad than strength."

The giant snarled. "What are you talking about, war brat?"

"Tactics," Frank said. "That's my gift from Mars. A battle can be won before it's ever fought by choosing the right ground." He pointed over his shoulder. "We crossed the border a few hundred yards back. You're not in Alaska anymore. Can't you feel it, Al?"

Slowly, understanding dawned in the giant's eyes. He looked down incredulously at his wounded legs. "Impossible!" the giant bellowed. "I'll—I'll—Gah!" He charged at Frank, determined to reach the international boundary. Frank stood his ground. Just before Alcyoneus smashed into him, Frank changed. He'd always felt too big and clumsy. Now he used that feeling. His body swelled to massive size. His skin thickened. His arms changed to stout front legs. His mouth grew tusks and his nose elongated.

Alcyoneus slammed into a full-grown ten-ton elephant. The giant staggered sideways. He screamed in frustration and slammed into Frank again, but Alcyoneus was completely out of his weight division. Frank head-butted him so hard Alcyoneus flew backward and landed spread-eagled on the ice. "You—can't—kill me," Alcyoneus growled. "You can't—"

Frank turned back to his normal form. "I can and I will." He walked up to the giant, whose oily wounds were steaming. Hazel dismounted and stood next to Frank, her sword ready.

"May I?"

Frank nodded. He looked into the giant's seething eyes. "Here's a tip, Alcyoneus. Next time you choose the biggest state for your home, don't set up base in the part that's only ten miles wide. Welcome to Canada, idiot."

Hazel's sword came down on the giant's neck. Alcyoneus dissolved into a pile of very expensive rocks.

She looked at Frank. "An elephant?" she asked.

Frank scratched his neck. "It seemed like a good idea."

Then she kissed him—a real kiss on the lips. "You are amazing," she said.

Before he could say anything, a the voice of Gaea echoed across the valley: _You haven't won. You will never reach home in time_ , she taunted. _Even now, Thanatos is attending the death of Camp Jupiter, the final destruction of your Roman friends._

Hazel and Frank looked at each other. Neither said a word. They climbed onto Arion and sped back toward Glacier Bay.


	33. Heavenly Power

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part XVIII — _The hot and the cold are both so intense, put 'em together, it just makes sense!_

* * *

A wolf launched itself at Lena. She stepped back and swung her scrap wood into the beast's snout with a satisfying crack. She turned toward the sound of hooves and saw a storm spirit horse bearing down on her. Lena concentrated and summoned the wind. Just before the spirit could trample her, she launched herself into the air, grabbed the horse's smoky neck, and pirouetted onto its back. The storm spirit reared. It tried to shake Lena but somehow she stayed on. She willed the horse to remain in solid form, and the horse seemed unable to refuse. Lena could feel it fighting against her.

"You're mine now," Lena said. She charged into battle, swinging her icy piece of wood, knocking aside wolves and plunging straight through other venti, vaporized them into harmless clouds of mist.

Piper was surrounded by Earthborn, but she was so impressive-looking as she fought, almost glowing with beauty, that the Earthborn stared at her in awe, forgetting that they were supposed to kill her. They'd lower their clubs and watch dumbfounded as she smiled and charged them.

Leo had taken on Khione herself. She kept summoning ice daggers to throw at him, blasts of winter air, tornadoes of snow. Leo burned through all of it. His whole body flickered with red tongues of flame like he'd been doused with gasoline.

Lena realized that Leo was the only reason they were still alive. His fiery aura was heating up the whole courtyard, countering Khione's winter magic. Without him, they would've been frozen like the Hunters long ago. Wherever Leo went, ice melted off the stones. Even Thalia started to defrost a little when Leo stepped near her.

Khione slowly backed away. Her expression went from enraged to shocked to slightly panicked as Leo got closer. "You're too late," she snarled. "He's awake! And don't think you've won anything here, demigods. Hera's plan will never work. You'll be at each other's throats before you can ever stop us."

Leo set his hammers ablaze and threw them at the goddess, but she turned into snow—a white powdery image of herself. Leo's hammers slammed into the snow woman, breaking it into a steaming mound of mush. Then Lena heard a cracking sound behind her. The melting ice on Hera's cage sloughed off in a curtain of slush, and the goddess called, "Oh, don't mind me! Just the queen of the heavens, dying over here!"

Lena dismounted and told the venti to stay put. The three demigods jumped into the pool and ran to the spire.

Leo frowned. "Uh, Tía Callida, are you getting shorter?"

"No, you dolt! The earth is claiming me. Hurry!" Not only was Hera sinking, the ground was rising around her like water in a tank. "The giant wakes! You only have seconds!"

"Challenge accepted," Leo said. "Piper, I need your help. Talk to the cage."

"What?" she said.

"Talk to it. Use everything you've got. Convince Gaea to sleep. Lull her into a daze. Just slow her down, try to get the tendrils to loosen while I—"

"Right!" Piper cleared her throat and said, "Hey, Gaea. Nice night, huh? Boy, I'm tired. How about you? Ready for some sleep?" The more she talked, the more confident she sounded. Lena felt her own eyes getting heavy, and she had to force herself not to focus on her words. It seemed to have some effect on the cage. The mud was rising more slowly.

Leo pulled a circular saw out of his tool belt. On the other side of the pool, the giant's spire crumbled with a sound like a tree snapping in half. Its outer sheath of tendrils exploded from the top down, raining stone and wood shards as the giant shook himself free and climbed out of the earth.

The giant king was humanoid from the waist up, clad in bronze armor, and from the waist down he had scaly dragon's legs; but his skin was the color of lima beans. When he opened his eyes, they were blank white, like polished marble. He took a deep breath. "Alive!" he bellowed. "Praise to Gaea!"

Lena made a heroic little whimpering sound she hoped her friends couldn't hear. "Leo," she said.

"Huh?" Leo's mouth was wide open. Even Piper seemed dazed.

"You guys keep working," Lena said. "Get Hera free!"

"What are you going to do?" Piper asked. "You can't seriously—"

"Entertain a giant?" Lena said. "I've got no choice."

"Excellent!" the giant roared as Lena approached. "An appetizer! Who are you, little girl?"

"I'm Lena Grace," she said. "Daughter of Jupiter."

Those white eyes bored into her. Porphyrion threw back his head and laughed. "Outstanding!" He looked up at the cloudy night sky. "So, Zeus, you sacrifice a daughter to me? The gesture is appreciated, but it will not save you."

Lena dropped her makeshift club. "If you knew who I was," she yelled up at the giant, "you'd be worried about me, not my father. I hope you enjoyed your two and a half minutes of rebirth, giant, because I'm going to send you right back to Tartarus."

The giant's eyes narrowed. He planted one foot outside the pool and crouched to get a better look at his opponent. "Child of sky and storm, I am Porphyrion, king of the giants, son of Gaea. In olden times, I rose from Tartarus, the abyss of my father, to challenge the gods. To start the war, I stole Zeus's queen." He grinned at the goddess's cage. "Hello, Hera."

"My husband destroyed you once, monster!" Hera said. "He'll do it again!"

"But he didn't, my dear! Zeus wasn't powerful enough to kill me. He had to rely on a puny demigod to help, and even then, we almost won. This time, we will complete what we started. Gaea is waking. She has provisioned us with many fine servants. Our armies will shake the earth—and we will destroy you at the roots."

"You wouldn't dare," Hera said, but she was weakening.

"Oh, yes," the giant said. "The Titans sought to attack your new home in New York. Bold, but ineffective. Gaea is wiser and more patient. And we, her greatest children, are much, much stronger than Kronos. We know how to kill you Olympians once and for all. You must be dug up completely like rotten trees—your eldest roots torn out and burned."

The giant frowned at Piper and Leo, as if he'd just noticed them working at the cage. Lena stepped forward and yelled to get back Porphyrion's attention. "You said a demigod killed you," she shouted. "How, if we're so puny?"

"Ha! You think I would explain it to you? I was created to be Zeus's replacement, born to destroy the lord of the sky. I shall take his throne. I shall take his wife—or, if she will not have me, I will let the earth consume her life force. What you see before you, child, is only my weakened form. I will grow stronger by the hour, until I am invincible. But I am already quite capable of smashing you!"

"I'm the daughter of Jupiter!" Lena shouted. "I'm a child of Rome, consul to demigods, praetor of the First Legion." She held out her arms, showing the tattoo of the eagle and SPQR.

To her great surprise the giant seemed to recognize it. For a moment, Porphyrion actually looked uneasy.

"I slew the Trojan sea monster," Lena continued. "I toppled the black throne of Kronos, and destroyed the Titan Krios with my own hands. And now I'm going to destroy you, Porphyrion, and feed you to your own wolves." Lena launched herself at the giant, determined to tear him apart. Half flying, half leaping, she landed on the giant's scaly reptilian knee and climbed up the giant's arm before Porphyrion even realized what had happened.

"You dare?" the giant bellowed.

Lena reached his shoulders and ripped a sword out of the giant's weapon-filled braids. She yelled, "For Rome!" and drove the sword into the nearest convenient target—the giant's massive ear. Lightning streaked out of the sky and blasted the sword, throwing her free. She rolled when she hit the ground. When she looked up, the giant was staggering. His hair was on fire, and the side of his face was blackened from lightning. The sword had splintered in his ear. Golden ichor ran down his jaw. The other weapons were sparking and smoldering in his braids.

Porphyrion almost fell. He regained his balance and glared at the demigod. The giant raised his spear and it began to glow. "You want to play with lightning, little girl? You forget. I am the bane of Zeus. I was created to destroy your father, which means I know exactly what will kill you."

"Got it!" Leo yelled.

"Sleep!" Piper said, so forcefully, the stone and wood cage crumbled. Leo had sawed through the base of the thickest tendril and apparently cut off the cage's connection to Gaea. The tendrils turned to dust. The mud around Hera disintegrated. The goddess grew in size, glowing with power.

"Yes!" the goddess said. "Now I shall have my revenge!"

The giant Porphyrion backed away. He said nothing, but he gave Lena one last look of hatred. His message was clear: another time. Then he slammed his spear against the earth, and the giant disappeared into the ground like he'd dropped down a chute.

Next thing Lena knew, Piper was wrapping her in a hug until she groaned, "Crushing me."

"Sorry," she said.

"Are you alright?" Lena asked. She touched her face, unsure, but she did not back away.

"Yes," Piper whispered. "I was so scared... I thought this was it... I thought we were going to..." Lena shut her with a kiss. Her memories were back and she knew there was someone back home waiting for her, but no part of her feelings for Piper seemed wrong. She might'd loved someone else along the way, but now she loved Piper and Piper alone.

Thalia cleared her throat and they separated.

"Oh!" Lena exclaimed, letting go of Piper and embracing her sister. "Are you okay?"

"We're all okay." Thalia smiled. "Thanks to you."

Hera approached, her eyes set on Lena. "My child," she said, voice strong. "My pride. My joy. You're even stronger than I realized." Lena felt her cheeks flush. She didn't know how to talk to the goddess. "There are many dangers to come," said Hera. "We must work together."

"I don't suppose that Porphyrion guy just melted and died, huh?" said Leo. "We're not that lucky."

"No," Hera agreed. "By saving me, and saving this place, you prevented Gaea from waking. You have bought us some time. But Porphyrion has risen. He simply knew better than to stay here, especially since he has not yet regained his full power. Giants can only be killed by a combination of god and demigod, working together. Once you freed me—"

"He ran away," Lena said. "But where to?"

Hera didn't answer.

"I need to find Tony," Thalia said. "He has to know what's happened here."

"Thalia..." Lena gripped her hand. "We never got to talk about this place, or—"

"I know." Her expression softened. "I lost you here once. I don't want to leave you again. But we'll meet soon, GG. I'll rendezvous with you back at Camp Half-Blood." She glanced at Hera. "You'll see them there safely? It's the least you can do."

"It's not your place to tell me—"

"Queen Hera," Piper interceded. "Please."

The goddess sighed. "Fine. Yes. Just off with you, Hunter!"

Thalia gave Lena another hug and said her goodbyes.

"Lena," Piper called. "What happened to you here? I mean—I know your mom abandoned you here. But you said it was sacred ground for demigods. Why? What happened after you were on your own?"

Lena shook her head uneasily. "It's still murky. The wolves..."

"You were given a destiny," Hera said. "You were given into my service."

Lena scowled. "Because you forced my mom to do that. You couldn't stand knowing Zeus had two children with my mom. Knowing that he'd fallen for her twice. I was the price you demanded for leaving the rest of my family alone. You are not very fair, Hera. You make me love you when that's the last thing I want to do."

"It was the right choice for you as well, Glaucelena," Hera insisted. "The second time your mother managed to snare Zeus's affections, it was because she imagined him in a different aspect—the aspect of Jupiter. Never before had this happened—two children, Greek and Roman, born into the same family. You had to be separated from Thalia. This is where all demigods of your kind start their journey."

"Of her kind?" Piper asked.

"She means Roman," Lena said. "Demigods are left here. We meet the she-wolf goddess, Lupa, the same immortal wolf that raised Romulus and Remus."

Hera nodded. "And if you are strong enough, you live."

"But..." Leo looked mystified. "What happened after that? I mean, Lena never made it to camp."

"Not to Camp Half-Blood, no," Hera agreed.

"You went somewhere else," Piper realized. "That's where you've been all these years. Somewhere else for demigods—but where?"

Lena turned to the goddess. "The memories are coming back, but not the location. You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"No," Hera said. "That is part of your destiny, Lena. You must find your own way back. But when you do—you will unite two great powers. You will give us hope against the giants, and more importantly—against Gaea herself."

"You want us to help you, but you're holding back information."

"Giving you answers would make those answers invalid," Hera said. "That is the way of the Fates. You must forge your own path for it to mean anything. Already, you three have surprised me. I would not have thought it possible..." The goddess shook her head. "Suffice to say, you have performed well, demigods. But this is only the beginning. Now you must return to Camp Half-Blood, where you will begin planning for the next phase."

"Which you won't tell us about," Lena grumped.

Hera ignored her. "As you have done me a great service, I can help you—at least this once. Farewell, demigods, for now."

And the world turned upside down.

* * *

They told their story and answered a million questions from the other campers, until finally Chiron saw how tired they were and ordered them to bed. Piper was so exhausted, she crashed immediately. The next morning, she woke in her bunk, feeling reinvigorated. Drew and her gang were frowning down at her, their arms crossed.

"Morning." Piper sat up and smiled. "Beautiful day."

"You're going to make us late for breakfast," Drew said, "which means you get to clean the cabin for inspection."

Piper laughed. Drew's smug expression crumbled. She backed up, then remembered she was supposed to be angry. "What are you—"

"Challenging you," Piper said. "How about noon in the arena? You can choose the weapons." She got out of bed, stretched leisurely, and beamed at her cabinmates. She spotted Mitchell and Lacy. "I missed you guys! We're going to have a great time when I'm senior counselor."

"You—" Drew spluttered. "You ugly little witch! I've been here the longest. You can't just—"

"Challenge you?" Piper said. "Sure, I can. Camp rules: I've been claimed by Aphrodite. I've completed a quest, which is one more than you've completed. If I feel I can do a better job, I can challenge you. Unless you just want to step down. Did I get all that right, Mitchell?"

"Just right, Piper." Mitchell was grinning.

A few of the other kids started to grin, as if they were enjoying the different colors Drew's face was turning. "Step down?" Drew shrieked. "You're crazy!"

Piper, fast as a viper, pulled Katoptris from under her pillow, unsheathed the dagger, and thrust the point under Drew's chin. "A duel, then," she said cheerfully. "If you don't want to wait until noon, now is fine. You've turned this cabin into a dictatorship, Drew. Silena Beauregard knew better than that. Aphrodite is about love and beauty. Being loving. Spreading beauty. Good friends. Good times. Good deeds. Not just looking good."

A moment later, Drew said, "I… step down," she mumbled. "But if you think I'm ever going to forget this, McLean—"

"Oh, I hope you won't," Piper said. "Now, run along to the dining pavilion, and explain to Chiron why we're late. There's been a change of leadership."

Drew backed to the door, then she was gone.

The cabin was silent. The other campers stared at Piper. Then, spontaneously, the Aphrodite campers cheered so loudly, they must've been heard all across camp. They herded Piper out of the cabin, raised her on their shoulders, and carried her all the way to the dining pavilion—still in her pajamas, her hair still a mess, but she didn't care. She'd never felt better.

By afternoon, at the commons area, she found Lena relaxing on a bench, a basketball between her feet. She was sweaty from working out, but she looked great in her orange tank top and shorts. "Hey," she said.

She sat next to her and they watched the campers going back and forth. The Aphrodite kids were watching them, and trying to pretend they weren't. "Get any sleep?" Piper asked her.

"Not much. Dreams."

"About your past?"

Lena nodded. "It's not good news," she warned. "My memories aren't good for—for any of us."

"We'll figure it out," Piper promised.

Lena looked at her hesitantly, like she wanted very much to believe her. "Anthony and Rachel are coming in for the meeting tonight. I should probably wait until then to explain..."

"Okay."

Lena studied her warily. "You're in a good mood. How can you be so sure things will work out?"

"Because you're going to lead us," Piper said simply. "And I'd follow you anywhere."

Lena blinked. Then slowly, she smiled. "Dangerous thing to say."

"I'm a dangerous girl."

"That, I believe," Lena said before kissing her. It was brief, not very intimate, as if Lena knew they were being watched. She got up and offered Piper a hand. "Leo says he's got something to show us out in the woods. You coming?"

"Wouldn't miss it."


	34. Oceanic Power

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part XVI — _The battle is fierce and mercifully brief; the conquering heroes return as kings of the reef._

* * *

Surprisingly, Andy was waiting for them. And she looked good. She stood at the edge of the glacier, leaning on the staff with the golden eagle, gazing down at the wreckage she'd caused: several hundred acres of newly open water dotted with icebergs and flotsam from the ruined camp. Her black hair waved around her face making her look wild and powerful.

Hazel and Frank ran up to her. "You're alive!" Frank marveled.

Andy scolded. "The fall? That was nothing. I fell twice that far from the St. Louis Arch."

"You did what?" Hazel asked.

"The important thing is—I'M ALIVE, BITCHES!" she shouted and her voice echoed around them. "Deal with it, Gaea." She set her eyes on Frank, looking mad. "And you, Frank Zhang! When were you going to tell us you can turn into eagles and bears?"

"And elephants," Hazel said proudly.

"A freakin' elephant." Andy shook her head in disbelief. "That's your family gift? You can change shape? And you didn't share with the girlfriends?"

Frank shuffled his feet. "Um—yeah. Periclymenus, my ancestor, the Argonaut—he could do that. He passed down the ability."

"And he got that gift from Poseidon," Andy guessed. "That's so completely unfair. I can't turn into anything!"

Frank stared at her. "Unfair? You can breathe underwater and blow up glaciers and summon freaking hurricanes—and it's unfair that I can be an elephant?"

"Okay, touchy. I take it back. But next time I say you're a total beast—"

"Just shut up," Frank said. "Please."

Andy cracked a smile.

"If you're both done," Hazel said, "we need to go. Camp Jupiter is under attack. They could use that gold eagle."

Andy nodded. "Hazel, there's about a ton of Imperial gold weapons and armor at the bottom of the bay now, plus a really nice chariot. I'm betting that stuff could come in handy..."

It took all three of them to raise the chariot, but finally they'd managed to haul everything ashore to a black sand beach near the base of the glacier.

"Can Arion even pull that much?" Frank asked.

Arion huffed.

"I am seriously going to wash this horse's mouth with soap," Andy said. "He says, yes, he can pull it."

Frank and Andy climbed into the chariot. Hazel swung up onto Arion's back. "Giddyup!" she yelled. The horse's sonic boom echoed across the bay. They sped south, avalanches tumbling down the mountains as they passed.

* * *

It took four hours to get from Alaska to San Francisco Bay. When they reached the hilltop above the Caldecott Tunnel, Arion shuddered like a broken car and came to a stop, his chest heaving. Hazel patted his sides lovingly. "You did great, Arion." The horse was too tired even to boast.

Andy and Frank jumped off the chariot. Her joints were so stiff, she could barely walk. Frank didn't look much better. He hobbled to the top of the hill and peered down at the camp. "Girls... you need to see this."

When Andy and Hazel joined him, Andy's heart sank. The battle had begun, and it wasn't going well. The Twelfth Legion was arrayed on the Field of Mars, trying to protect the city against Earthborn, but the defenders were badly outnumbered. On her pegasus Scipio, Reyna flew around the giant Polybotes, trying to keep him occupied. The legion itself was taking the brunt of the attack, but their formation was breaking. Each cohort was an island in a sea of enemies.

"We're too late," Hazel said.

"No," Andy said. "They're still fighting. We can do this."

"Where's Lupa?" Frank asked, desperation creeping into his voice. "She and the wolves... they should be here."

Andy thought about her time with the wolf goddess. "She did what she could. She slowed down the army on its way south. Now it's up to us. We've got to get the gold eagle and these weapons to the legion."

"But Arion is out of steam!" Hazel said. "We can't haul this stuff ourselves."

"Maybe we don't have to." Andy scanned the hilltops. She whistled as loud as she could. Shadows rippled in the trees. A huge black shape bounded out of nowhere—a mastiff the size of an SUV, with a Cyclops and a harpy on her back.

"Hellhound!" Frank scrambled backward.

"It's okay!" Andy grinned. "These are friends."

"Sister!" Tyson climbed off and ran toward Andy. He slammed into her and smothered her in a hug. Then Tyson let go and laughed with delight, looking Andy over with that massive baby brown eye. "You are not dead!" he said. "I like it when you are not dead!"

"I usually prefer it that way myself," Andy said.

Ella fluttered to the ground and began preening her feathers. "Ella found a dog," she announced. "A large dog. And a Cyclops."

Andy's black mastiff pounced on her, knocking her to the ground and barking so loudly that even Arion backed up. "Hey, Mrs. O'Leary! Yeah, I love you too, girl. Good dog."

Hazel made a squeaking sound. "You have a hellhound named Mrs. O'Leary?"

"Long story." Andy managed to get to her feet and wipe off the dog slobber. "You can ask your brother..."—Hazel eyes watered—"...when we find him. Which we will. I promised you this. Anyway, this is my dog, Mrs. O'Leary. Tyson—these are my friends, Frank and Hazel." Andy turned to Ella. "Are you okay?"

"Ella is not strong," she said. "Cyclopes are strong. Tyson found Ella. Tyson took care of Ella."

Andy raised her eyebrows. Ella was blushing. "Tyson… have you been flirting?"

Tyson turned the same color as Ella's plumage. "Um—No." He leaned down and whispered nervously, loud enough for all the others to hear: "She is pretty."

Frank tapped his head like he was afraid his brain had short-circuited. "Uh, there's this battle happening."

"Right," Andy agreed. "But… Tyson, where's Anthony?"

Tyson pouted. His big brown eye got misty. "Looking for you, silly."

"So he's fine?" The Cyclops didn't answer. Andy understood his silence. Anthony was probably as fine as she felt being away from him for so long.

"Um, Andy?" Frank looked at Tyson with trepidation. "I just... don't want our friend here getting hurt. Is Tyson a fighter?"

Andy smiled. "Is he a fighter? Frank, you're looking at General Tyson of the Cyclops army. And by the way, Tyson, Frank is a descendant of Poseidon."

"Brother!" Tyson crushed Frank in a hug.

Andy stifled a laugh. "Yeah, he's our brother!"

"Thanks," Frank mumbled through a mouthful of flannel. "But if the legion mistakes Tyson for an enemy—"

"I've got it!" Hazel ran to the chariot and dug out the biggest Roman helmet she could find, plus an old Roman banner embroidered with SPQR. She handed them to Tyson. "Put those on, big guy. Then our friends will know you're on our team."

"Yay!" Tyson said. "I'm on your team!"

"Mrs. O'Leary—" Andy said.

"ROOOF!"

"How do you feel about pulling a chariot?"

* * *

So, Hazel rode Arion, Frank transformed into a bald eagle—and soared above them, Tyson ran down the hill, waving his club and yelling while Ella fluttered around him, and Andy rode Mrs. O'Leary into battle pulling a chariot and holding the golden eagle standard of the Twelfth Legion high above her. She shouted, "Fifth Cohort!" and slammed into the nearest Cyclops. The last things the poor monster saw were Mrs. O'Leary's teeth. After the Cyclops disintegrated Andy leaped off her hellhound and slashed wildly through the other monsters.

Tyson charged at the Cyclops leader and broke him into dust. Hazel charged around on Arion, slicing her spatha through one Cyclops after another, while Frank blinded the enemies with his talons. Once every Cyclops within fifty yards had been reduced to ashes, Frank landed in front of his troops and transformed into a human. "Fifth Cohort!" he bellowed. "Get your Imperial gold weapons right here!"

The campers recovered from their shock and mobbed the chariot. Andy did her best to hand out equipment quickly.

"Let's go, let's go!" Dakota urged. "Our comrades need help!"

"Follow the eagle!" Frank ordered. "To battle!"

The campers cheered. As Andy and Mrs. O'Leary charged onward, the entire cohort followed. They slammed into a herd of wild centaurs that were attacking the Third Cohort. When the campers of the Third saw the eagle standard, they shouted insanely and fought with renewed effort. The centaurs didn't stand a chance. The two cohorts crushed them like a vise. Soon there was nothing left but piles of dust and assorted hooves and horns.

At the base of the aqueduct, the First and Second Cohorts were trying to encircle Polybotes, but they were taking a pounding. Reyna soared above the giant, diving in with her javelin whenever he turned his attention to the ground troops. Her purple cloak snapped in the wind. Polybotes jabbed his trident and swung his weighted net, but Scipio was almost as nimble as Arion.

Then Reyna noticed the Fifth Cohort marching to their aid with the eagle. She was so stunned, the giant almost swatted her out of the air, but Scipio dodged. Reyna locked eyes with Andy and gave her a huge smile. "Romans!" Her voice boomed across the fields. "Rally to the eagle!"

Demigods and monsters alike turned and gawked as Andy bounded forward on her hellhound.

"What is this?" Polybotes demanded. "What is this?"

Andy felt a rush of power coursing through the standard's staff. She raised the eagle and shouted, "Twelfth Legion Fulminata!" Thunder shook the valley. The eagle let loose a blinding flash, and a thousand tendrils of lightning exploded from its golden wings—arcing in front of Andy like the branches of an enormous deadly tree, connecting with the nearest monsters, leaping from one to another, completely ignoring the Roman forces.

When the lightning stopped, the First and Second Cohorts were facing one surprised-looking giant and several hundred smoking piles of ash. The enemy's center line had been charred to oblivion.

The look on Octavian's face was priceless. The centurion stared at Andy with shock, then outrage. Then, when his own troops started to cheer, he had no choice except to join the shouting: "Rome! Rome!"

The giant Polybotes backed up uncertainly, but Andy knew the battle wasn't over. Polybotes bellowed. A dozen fresh basilisks fell out of his hair, turning the grass to poison yellow. "You think this changes anything, Andy Jackson? I cannot be destroyed! Come forward, daughter of Neptune. I will break you!"

Andy dismounted. She handed Dakota the standard. "You are the cohort's senior centurion. Take care of this."

Dakota blinked, then he straightened with pride. "I will carry it with honor."

"Frank, Hazel, Tyson," Andy said, "help the Fourth Cohort. I've got a giant to kill." She raised Riptide, but before she could advance, horns blew in the northern hills. Another army appeared on the ridge—hundreds of warriors in black-and-gray camouflage, armed with spears and shields.

"Amazons," Frank said. "Great."

Polybotes laughed. "You, see? Our reinforcements have arrived! Rome will fall today!"

The Amazons lowered their spears and charged down the hill. The giant's army cheered—until the Amazons changed course and headed straight for the monsters' intact eastern flank. "Amazons, forward!"

"Queen Hylla!" said Hazel. "She survived!"

The Amazon queen shouted: "To my sister's aid! Destroy the monsters!"

"Destroy!" Her troops' cry echoed through the valley.

Reyna wheeled her pegasus toward Andy. Her eyes gleamed. She shouted, "Romans! Advance!"

The battlefield descended into absolute chaos. Amazon and Roman lines swung toward the enemy.

Andy pointed at the giant. "You. Me. To the finish."

* * *

They met by the aqueduct. Polybotes swiped his trident and smashed the nearest brick arch, unleashing a waterfall. "Go on, then, daughter of Neptune!" Polybotes taunted. "Let me see your power! Does water do your bidding? Does it heal you? But I am born to oppose Neptune."

The giant thrust his hand under the water. As the torrent passed through his fingers it turned dark green. He flung some at Andy, who instinctively deflected it with his will. The liquid splattered the ground in front of him. With a nasty hiss, the grass withered and smoked.

"My touch turns water to poison," Polybotes said. "Let's see what it does to your blood!"

He threw his net at Andy, but she rolled out of the way. She diverted the waterfall straight into the giant's face. While Polybotes was blinded, Andy charged. She plunged Riptide into the giant's belly then withdrew it and vaulted away, leaving the giant roaring in pain.

"Good try, demigod," he snarled. "But I will break you still."

"Gotta catch me first," Andy said. She turned and bolted toward the city.

"What?" the giant yelled incredulously. "You run, coward? Stand still and die!"

Andy passed Mrs. O'Leary, who looked up curiously with a gorgon wriggling in her mouth.

"Die!" Polybotes yelled, closing fast. Andy kept running.

Queen Hylla and Reyna joined forces, forklift and pegasus riding together, scattering the dark shades of fallen warriors. Frank turned himself into an elephant and stomped through some Cyclopes, and Dakota held the golden eagle high, blasting lightning at any monsters that dared to challenge the Fifth Cohort.

Andy bolted for the city limits. "Terminus!" she yelled.

His stone eyes snapped open as Andy ran toward him. "Completely unacceptable!" he complained. "Buildings on fire! Invaders! Get them out of here, Andy Jackson!"

"I'm trying," she said humbly. "But there's this giant, Polybotes. Help me kill him and this will all be over. A god and demigod working together—that's the only way to kill him."

Terminus sniffed. "I guard borders. I don't kill giants. It's not in my job description."

"Terminus, come on!" Andy took another step forward, and the god shrieked indignantly.

"Stop right there, young lady! No weapons inside the Pomerian Line!"

"But we're under attack."

"I don't care! Rules are rules. When people don't follow the rules, I get very, very angry."

Andy smiled. "You don't say?" She sprinted back toward the giant. "Hey, ugly!"

"You—you will die slowly," the giant promised. He picked up his trident. "I will take you prisoner, Andy Jackson. I will torture you under the sea. Every day the water will heal you, and every day I will bring you closer to death."

"Great offer," Andy said. "But you'd have to kill me before I kill you."

Polybotes bellowed in rage. He pointed his trident and ran toward Andy. As the giant reached the Pomerian Line, Andy jumped aside like a bullfighter. Polybotes barreled across the city limits.

"THAT'S IT!" Terminus cried. "That's AGAINST THE RULES!"

Polybotes frowned, obviously confused that he was being told off by a statue. "What are you?" he growled. "Shut up!" He pushed the statue over and turned back to Andy.

"Now I'm MAD!" Terminus shrieked. "I'm strangling you. Feel that? Those are my hands around your neck, you big bully. Get over here! I'm going to head-butt you so hard—"

"Enough!" The giant stepped on the statue and broke Terminus in three pieces—pedestal, body, and head.

"You DIDN'T!" shouted Terminus. "Andy Jackson, you've got yourself a deal! Let's kill this upstart."

The giant laughed so hard that he didn't realize Andy was charging until it was too late. Andy jumped up, vaulting off the giant's knee, and drove Riptide straight through one of the metal mouths on Polybotes's breastplate, sinking the Celestial bronze hilt-deep in his chest. The giant stumbled backward, tripping over Terminus's pedestal and crashing to the ground.

While he was trying to get up, clawing at the sword in his chest, Andy hefted the head of the statue.

"You'll never win!" the giant groaned. "You cannot defeat me alone."

"I'm never alone." Andy raised the stone head above the giant's face. "I'd like you to meet my friend Terminus. He's a god!"

Too late, awareness and fear dawned in the giant's face. Andy smashed the god's head as hard as he could into the Polybotes's nose, and the giant dissolved, crumbling into a steaming heap of seaweed, reptile skin, and poisonous muck. Andy staggered away, completely exhausted.

"Ha!" said the head of Terminus. "That will teach him to obey the rules of Rome."

For a moment, the battlefield was silent. A ragged circle of Romans and Amazons stood around Andy. Tyson, Ella, and Mrs. O'Leary were there. Frank and Hazel were grinning at her with pride.

The Romans began to chant, "Andy! Andy! Andy!"


	35. One Home

Act I — **To The World Of Skies**

Part XIX — _Now that I'm home, home again, it's clear: all I ever wanted seems to be right here._

* * *

"Here we go." Leo willed his hand to catch fire, and set it against the door. His cabinmates gasped.

"Leo!" Nyssa cried. "You're a fire user!"

"Yeah, thanks," he said. "I've noticed."

Jake Mason, who was out of his body cast but still on crutches, said, "Holy Hephaestus. That means—it's so rare that—"

The massive stone door swung open, and everyone's mouth dropped. Leo's flaming hand seemed insignificant now. Even Piper and Lena looked stunned. Only Chiron didn't look surprised.

"Welcome to Bunker Nine," Leo said, as confidently as he could. "C'mon in."

The group was silent as they toured the facility. Festus's head was sitting on the central table, still battered and scorched from his final crash in Omaha. Lena put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Hephaestus brought it here for you?" Leo nodded. "Will you repair him?"

"No way," Leo said. "But the head is going to be reused. Festus will be going with us."

Piper came over and frowned. "What do you mean?"

Before Leo could answer, Nyssa cried out, "Guys, I've never seen anything like these. There are more amazing ideas here than in Daedalus's workshop. It would take a century just to prototype them all."

"Who built this place?" Jake Mason said. "And why?"

"It's a wartime command center," Leo said. "The camp was attacked once, wasn't it?"

They all turned to Chiron. "This camp has been attacked many times," he admitted. "I believe this is from the last Civil War." He pointed to the map on the wall.

"Civil War..." Piper said. "Like a hundred and fifty years ago?"

"Yes and no," Chiron said. "The two conflicts—mortal and demigod—mirrored each other, as they usually do in Western history. Look at any civil war or revolution from the fall of Rome onward, and it marks a time when demigods also fought one another. But that Civil War was particularly horrible. For American mortals, it is still their bloodiest conflict of all time—worse than their casualties in the two World Wars. For demigods, it was equally devastating. Even back then, this valley was Camp Half-Blood. There was a horrible battle in these woods lasting for days, with terrible losses on both sides."

"Both sides," Leo said. "You mean the camp split apart?"

"No," Lena spoke up. "He means two different groups. Camp Half-Blood was one side in the war."

Leo wasn't sure he wanted an answer, but he asked, "Who was the other?"

"The answer is dangerous," Chiron warned. "It is something I swore upon the River Styx never to speak of. After the American Civil War, the gods were so horrified by the toll it took on their children, that they swore it would never happen again. The two groups were separated. The gods bent all their will, wove the Mist as tightly as they could, to make sure the enemies never remembered each other, never met on their quests, so that bloodshed could be avoided. 1864 was last time the two groups fought. We've had several close calls since then. The nineteen sixties were particularly dicey. But we've managed to avoid another civil war—at least so far. Just as Leo guessed, this bunker was a command center for the Hephaestus cabin. In the last century, it has been reopened a few times, usually as a hiding place in times of great unrest. But coming here is dangerous. It stirs old memories, awakens the old feuds. Even when the Titans threatened last year, I did not think it worth the risk to use this place."

Suddenly Leo's sense of triumph turned to guilt. "Hey, look, this place found me. It was meant to happen. It's a good thing."

"I hope you're right," Chiron said.

"I am!" Leo said. "And I have a plan. I drew something when I was five. My destiny." He pointed at the largest schematic on the bulletin board—the blueprint showing a Greek trireme.

"You can't have done that," Nyssa said. "That blueprint has to be a century old at least."

"'Prophecy—Unclear—Flight,'" Jake Mason read from the notes on the blueprint. "It's a diagram for a flying ship. Look, that's the landing gear. And weaponry—Holy Hephaestus: rotating ballista, mounted crossbows, Celestial bronze plating. That thing would be one spankin' hot war machine. Was it ever made?"

"Not yet," Leo said. "Look at the masthead." There was no doubt—the figure at the front of the ship was the head of a dragon. A very particular dragon.

"Festus," Piper said. Everyone turned and looked at the dragon's head sitting on the table.

"He's meant to be our masthead," Leo said. "Our good luck charm, our eyes at sea. I'm supposed to build this ship. I'm gonna call it the Argo II. And guys, I'll need your help."

"The Argo II." Piper smiled.

Lena nodded. "Leo's right. That ship is just what we need for our journey."

"What journey?" Nyssa said. "You just got back!"

Piper ran her fingers over the old crayon drawing. "We've got to confront Porphyrion, the giant king. He said he would destroy the gods at their roots."

"Indeed," Chiron said. "Much of Rachel's Great Prophecy is still a mystery to me, but one thing is clear. You three—Lena, Piper, and Leo—are among the seven demigods who must take on that quest. You must confront the giants in their homeland, where they are strongest. You must stop them before they can wake Gaea fully, before they destroy Mount Olympus."

"Um..." Nyssa shifted. "You don't mean Manhattan, do you?"

"No," Leo said. "The original Mount Olympus. We have to sail to Greece."

Everyone started speaking at once.

"Heroes!" Chiron struck his hoof on the floor. "All the details are not clear yet, but Leo is correct. He will need your help to build the Argo II. It is perhaps the greatest project Cabin Nine has even undertaken, even greater than the bronze dragon."

"It'll take a while," Nyssa guessed. "Do we have time?"

"No," Leo said. "But we can do it."

"You must avoid ground travel," Chiron said, "using only air and sea, so this vehicle is perfect. We have the child of the sky. All you need to do is find the child of the sea."

Jake Mason turned to Leo. "Well, one thing's for sure. You are now senior counselor. This is the biggest honor the cabin has ever had. Anyone object?" Nobody did. "It's official, then," Jake said. "You're the man."

"Well," Leo smiled, "if you guys elect me leader, you must be even crazier than I am. So let's build a spankin' hot war machine!"

* * *

Her dreams the night before had been worse than she'd wanted to share—even with Piper. Her memory was still foggy, but bits and pieces were coming back. The night Lupa had tested her at the Wolf House, to decide if she would be a pup or food. The day she'd gotten her tattoo. The day she'd been raised on a shield and proclaimed a praetor. Her friends' faces: Dakota, Gwendolyn, Hazel, Bobby. And Reyna. Lena had loved her then. But now she was sure of what she felt about Piper

The back of her neck tingled. She realized someone was standing behind her. Lena turned and found Hera—no, not Hera—Juno. "What are you doing here? Did Jupiter send you here-"

"No one sends me anywhere," she said. "I am not a messenger."

Lena waited, but the goddess was quiet. "Why did you send me to this camp?"

"I think you know," Juno said. "An exchange of leaders was necessary. It was the only way to bridge the gap."

"I didn't agree to it."

"Neither did Andy Jackson. But Zeus gave your life to me, and I am helping you fulfill your destiny."

Lena tried to control her anger. She looked down at her orange camp shirt and the tattoos on her arm, and she knew these things should not go together.

"You must find your own way back," Juno said. "Now that you have their trust, sail in your ship as leader of this camp. You will be ready to be a peacemaker between two great powers."

"What if you're not telling the truth? What if you're doing this to cause another civil war?"

"I am the goddess of family," Juno said. "My family has been divided for too long."

"They divided us so we don't kill each other. That seems like a pretty good reason."

"The prophecy demands that we change. The giants will rise. Each can only be killed by a god and demigod working together. Those demigods must be the seven greatest of the age. As it stands, they are divided between two places. If we remain divided, we cannot win. Gaea is counting on this. You must unite the heroes of Olympus and sail together to meet the giants on the ancient battlegrounds of Greece. Only then will the gods be convinced to join you. It will be the most dangerous quest, the most important voyage, ever attempted by the children of the gods."

Lena gulped. "It's not fair. I could ruin everything."

"You could," Juno agreed. "But gods need heroes. We always have."

"Even you? I thought you hated heroes."

The goddess gave her a dry smile. "I have that reputation. But if you want the truth, Glaucelena, I often envy other gods their mortal children. You demigods can span both worlds. I think this helps your godly parents—even Jupiter, curse him—to understand the mortal world better than I." Juno sighed so unhappily that despite her anger, Lena almost felt sorry for her. "I am the goddess of marriage,. It is not in my nature to be faithless. I have only two godly children—Mars and Vulcan—both of whom are disappointments. I have no mortal heroes to do my bidding, which is why I am so often bitter toward demigods—Heracles, Aeneas, all of them. But I also favored Jason, a pure mortal, who had no godly parent to guide him. And now you, who has been given to me. You will be the greatest heroine and you will bring unity to the demigods, and thus to Olympus."

Her words settled over Lena, as heavy as sandbags. She was terrified, but she no longer felt alone. She had friends now, and a home to fight for. And she had a goddess looking out for her, someone who could be pretty mean, but still motherly and loving. "And if I fail?" she asked.

"Great victory requires great risk," Juno admitted. "Fail, and there will be bloodshed like we have never seen. Demigods will destroy one another. The giants will overrun Olympus. Gaea will wake, and the earth will shake off everything we have built over five millennia. It will be the end of us all."

"Awesome."

Someone pounded on the cabin doors.

Juno pulled a gladius from behind her and handed it to Lena. "Take this for the weapon you lost. We will speak again. Like it or not, Glaucelena, I am your mother, and your link to Olympus. I love you as genuinely as if you were my blood." The goddess vanished as the doors creaked open, and Piper walked in.

"Anthony and Rachel are here," she said. "Chiron has summoned the council."

* * *

The council was Leo and Piper—in their first meeting as senior counselors—, Clarisse, leader of the Ares cabin, Anthony from Athena, Clovis from Hypnos cabin, Butch from Iris cabin, Travis Stoll from Hermes and Will Solace from Apollo. The counselor from Hecate cabin, Lou Ellen something-or-other, Miranda Gardiner from Demeter, and a few others Lena didn't get the names.

Rachel Dare, the oracle, sat next to Chiron at the head of the table. Anthony wore armor over his camp clothes, with his knife at his side. As soon as Lena walked in, he fixed her with an expectant look, as if he was trying to extract information out of her by sheer willpower.

"Let's come to order," Chiron said. "As you can see, Lena, Piper, and Leo have returned successfully—more or less. Some of you have heard parts of their story, but I will let them fill you in."

Everyone looked at Lena. She cleared her throat and began the story. Piper and Leo chimed in from time to time, filling in the details he forgot. It only took a few minutes, but it seemed like longer with everyone watching her. Lena ended with Juno's visit right before the meeting.

"So Hera was here," Anthony said. "Talking to you."

Lena nodded. "Look, I'm not saying I trust her—"

"That's smart," he said.

"—but she isn't making this up about another group of demigods. That's where I came from."

"Romans." Clarisse grumbled. "You expect us to believe there's another camp with demigods, but they follow the Roman forms of the gods. And we've never even heard of them."

Piper sat forward. "The gods have kept the two groups apart, because every time they see each other, they try to kill each other."

"I can respect that," Clarisse said. "Still, why haven't we ever run across each other on quests?"

"You have," Chiron said sadly, "many times. It's always a tragedy, and always the gods do their best to wipe clean the memories of those involved. The rivalry goes all the way back to the Trojan War, Clarisse. The Greeks invaded Troy and burned it to the ground. The Trojan hero Aeneas escaped, and eventually made his way to Italy, where he founded the race that would someday become Rome. The Romans grew more and more powerful, worshiping the same gods but under different names, and with slightly different personalities."

"More warlike," Lena said. "More united. More about expansion, conquest, and discipline."

"Yuck," Travis put in. Several of the others looked equally uncomfortable, though Clarisse shrugged like it sounded okay to her.

Anthony twirled his knife on the table. "And the Romans hated the Greeks. They took revenge when they conquered the Greek isles, and made them part of the Roman Empire."

"Not exactly hated them," Lena said. "The Romans admired Greek culture, and were a little jealous. In return, the Greeks thought the Romans were barbarians, but they respected their military power. So during Roman times, demigods started to divide—either Greek or Roman."

"And it's been that way ever since," Anthony guessed. "But this is crazy. Chiron, where were the Romans during the Titan War? Didn't they want to help?"

Chiron tugged at his beard. "They did help, Tony. While you and Andy were leading the battle to save Manhattan, who do think conquered Mount Othrys, the Titans' base in California?"

"Hold on," Travis said. "You said Mount Othrys just crumbled when we beat Kronos."

"No," Lena said. "It didn't just fall. We destroyed their palace. I defeated the Titan Krios myself."

Anthony's eyes were as stormy as a ventus. Lena could almost see his thoughts moving, putting the pieces together. "The Bay Area. We demigods were always told to stay away from it because Mount Othrys was there. But that wasn't the only reason, was it? The Roman camp—it's got to be somewhere near San Francisco. I bet it was put there to keep watch on the Titans' territory. Where is it?"

Chiron shifted in his wheelchair. "I cannot say. Honestly, even I have never been trusted with that information. My counterpart, Lupa, is not exactly the sharing type. Lena's memory, too, has been burned away."

"The camp's heavily veiled with magic," Lena said. "And heavily guarded. We could search for years and never find it."

Rachel Dare laced her fingers. Of all the people in the room, only she didn't seem nervous about the conversation. "But you'll try, won't you? You'll build Leo's boat, the Argo II. And before you make for Greece, you'll sail for the Roman camp. You'll need their help to confront the giants."

"Bad plan," Clarisse warned. "If those Romans see a warship coming, they'll assume we're attacking."

"You're probably right," Lena agreed. "But we have to try. I was sent here to learn about Camp Half-Blood, to try to convince you the two camps don't have to be enemies. A peace offering."

"Hmm," Rachel said. "Because Hera is convinced we need both camps to win the war with the giants. Seven heroes of Olympus—some Greek, some Roman."

Anthony nodded. "Your Great Prophecy—what's the last line?"

" _'And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.'_ "

"Gaea has opened the Doors of Death," he said. "She's letting out the worst villains of the Underworld to fight us. Medea, Midas—there'll be more, I'm sure. Maybe the line means that the Roman and Greek demigods will unite, and find the doors, and close them."

"Or it could mean they fight each other at the doors of death," Clarisse pointed out. "It doesn't say we'll cooperate."

There was silence as the campers let that happy thought sink in.

"I'm going," Anthony said. "Lena, when you get this ship ready, I will go with you."

"I was hoping you'd offer," Lena said. "You of all people —we'll need you."

"Wait." Leo frowned. "I mean that's cool with me and all. But why him of all people?"

Anthony and Lena studied one another, and she knew he had put it together.

"Juno said my coming here was an exchange of leaders," Lena said. "A way for the two camps to learn of each other's existence."

"Yeah?" Leo said. "So?"

"An exchange goes two ways," Lena said. "When I got here, my memory was wiped. I didn't know who I was or where I belonged. Fortunately, you guys took me in and I found a new home. I know you're not my enemy. The Roman camp…" she hesitated. "They're not so friendly. You have to prove your worth quickly, or you don't survive. They may not be so nice to her, and if they learn where she comes from, she's going to be in serious trouble."

"She?" Leo said. "You don't mean—"

"Yes, he does," Anthony said grimly. "Andy disappeared around the same time Lena appeared. If Lena came to Camp Half-Blood—"

"Exactly," Lena agreed. "Andy Jackson is at the other camp."

Clarisse let out a guffaw. "Ha! This time she's f—"

"Clarisse,"Chiron stopped her. "Language."

She made a face. "You know it's true. Andy Jackson at army camp? They'll get in line to kick her ass."

"You never know,"Chiron mused. "I've seen Andy Jackson in worst situations."

"Whatever the case may be," Anthony decided for everyone, "we're coming to find her."

—End of Act I—


	36. One Family

Act II — **From The Sea We Rise**

Part XVII — _Up from the sea we rise, up to the world of skies, forever to be, together as one, under the sea and under the sun._

* * *

The Feast of Fortuna had—indeed—nothing to do with tuna after all.

Campers, Amazons and Lares crowded the mess hall for a lavish dinner. Even the fauns were invited. Despite the exhausting battle, everyone was in good spirits. Casualties had been light. The restored golden eagle stood proudly behind the praetor's table, and the walls were decorated with cornucopias. The cohorts mingled freely with the Amazons, there was a lot of flirting and arm-wrestling—which seemed to be the same thing for the Amazons. Hylla had defeated her challenger Otrera in two consecutive duels to the death, so that the Amazons were now calling their queen Hylla Twice-Kill.

"Otrera stayed dead the second time," Kinzie said. "We have you to thank for that. If you ever want to be one of us..."

Andy shook her head vehemently. "Thanks, but no, thanks."

Once everyone had eaten and the plates stopped flying, Reyna made a short speech. She formally welcomed the Amazons, thanking them for their help. "My sister and I haven't always seen eye to eye—"

Hylla laughed. "That's an understatement."

"She joined the Amazons," Reyna continued. "I joined Camp Jupiter. But looking around this room, I think we both made good choices. Strangely, our destinies were made possible by the heroine you all just raised to praetor on the battlefield—Andy Jackson."

More cheering. The sisters raised their glasses to Andy and beckoned her forward. Reyna took away her probatio neck plate. Octavian shot her a dirty look, then turned to the crowd and smiled like this was all his idea. He ripped open a teddy bear and pronounced good omens for the coming year—Fortuna would bless them! He passed his hand over Andy's arm and shouted: "Andy Jackson, daughter of Neptune, first year of service!" The Roman symbols burned onto Andy's arm: a trident, SPQR, and a single stripe. It felt like someone was pressing a hot iron into her skin, but Andy managed not to scream.

Octavian embraced her and whispered, "I hope that hurt."

Then Reyna gave Andy an eagle medal and purple cloak, symbols of the praetor. "You earned these."

Queen Hylla pounded Andy on the back. "And I've decided not to kill you."

"Um, thanks."

Reyna gave her the second praetor's house on the Via Principalis. It was nice, but it was also full of Lena Grace's stuff. However, even though it was uncomfortable, Andy fell asleep almost immediately.

And then Juno was there in her dream. "Do you still want to punch me, dear?" she asked.

"You crazy goddess," Andy said. "I know of your plan. But you had no right to kidnap me."

Juno tutted disapprovingly. "Don't get testy. If we are to defeat Gaea, our plans must be timed perfectly. Lena and her friends just succeed on saving me from my prison—"

"Your prison? You were in prison and they let you out? Why would they do that? I know I wouldn't."

Juno ignored her. "At the same time, you saved the Romans at their moment of greatest crisis. Within a few days now, you will be united and you'll be seeing that blonde boy you liked so much again. No need to lose your mind about it though. He isn't that interesting."

"I hate you," Andy Jackson told the goddess. "I hope that's clear between us. You can be Juno or Hera, I still hate you."

"My," she said, "you are in a bad mood. But you know I'm right. They trust you. You are a hero of Rome. And Lena Grace has learned to trust the Greeks. They got the Argo II ready right now. Together, you and Lena will unite the camps."

Andy closed her eyes and tried to control her anger. "Why me?" she demanded. "Like I said—and will continuing saying every time I see you—I hate you. Why do you want me to help you?"

"Because I know you, Andy Jackson. In many ways, you are impulsive, but when it comes to your friends, you are as constant as a compass needle. You are unswervingly loyal, and you inspire loyalty. You are the glue that will unite the seven."

"Oh, joy," Andy said. "All I ever wanted to do."

Juno laced her crooked fingers. "The Heroes of Olympus must unite! After your victory over Kronos in Manhattan—well, I fear that wounded Jupiter's self-esteem."

"Because I was right," Andy said. "And he was wrong."

The old lady shrugged. "He should be used to that, after so many eons married to me, but alas! My proud and obstinate husband refuses to ask mere demigods for help again. He believes the giants can be fought without you, and Gaea can be forced back to her slumbers. I know better. But you must prove yourself. Only by sailing to the ancient lands and closing the Doors of Death will you convince Jupiter that you are worthy of fighting side-by-side with the gods. It will be the greatest quest since Aeneas sailed from Troy!"

"And if we fail? If Romans and Greeks don't get along?"

"Then Gaea has already won. I'll tell you this, Andy Jackson. The one who will cause you the most trouble is the one you care most about."

"Anthony?" Andy felt something boiling in her mind. "Uninteresting and now a troublemaker?" she scoffed. "You don't know him. You can't see… If I have to go on dangerous quest for you, if I need to put my life on the line, Juno, he's the person I most want watching my back. I won't do anything else for you without him."

The goddess smiled dryly. "You will see, young heroine. The boy has a hard task ahead of him when you arrive in Rome. Whether he is up to it—I do not know. But your heart shall break, a risk I'm not willing to take, since I need you on my side."

Andy tried to swallow the panic that started to form in her throat. She couldn't let Juno get to her. Her words were meaningless.

"Now wake up, child of land and sea," the goddess said. "You have work to do."

* * *

Andy told Hazel and Frank about her dream.

"The gods were busy last night.," Hazel said, frowning. "Show her, Frank."

Frank reached into his coat pocket. Andy thought he might bring out his piece of firewood, but instead he produced a thin paperback book and a note on red stationery. "These were on my pillow this morning." He passed them to Andy. "Like the Tooth Fairy visited."

The book was _The Art of War_ by Sun Tzu. The letter read: _Good job, kid. A real man's best weapon is his mind. This was your mom's favorite book. Give it a read. P.S.—I hope your friend Jackson has learned some respect for me._

"Wow." Andy handed back the book. "He really has my respect now. Mars is different than Ares. I don't think Ares can read."

Hazel laughed. Frank flipped through the pages. "There's a lot in hereabout sacrifice, knowing the cost of war. Back in Vancouver, Mars told me I'd have to put my duty ahead of my life or the entire war would go sideways. I thought he meant freeing Thanatos, but now… I don't know. I'm still alive, so maybe the worst is yet to come." He glanced nervously at Andy, and Andy got the feeling Frank wasn't telling her everything.

"You risked your life," Andy said. "You were willing to burn up to save the quest. Mars can't expect more than that."

"Maybe," Frank said doubtfully.

Hazel squeezed Frank's hand. They seemed more comfortable around each other this morning, not quite as nervous and awkward. Andy hoped they had started dating.

"Hazel, how about you?" she asked. "Any word from Pluto?"

She looked down. Several diamonds popped out of the ground at her feet. "No," Hazel admitted. "In a way, I think he sent a message through Thanatos. My name wasn't on that list of escaped souls. It should have been."

"You think your dad is giving you a pass?" Andy asked.

Hazel shrugged. "Pluto can't visit me or even talk to me without acknowledging I'm alive. Then he'd have to enforce the laws of death and have Thanatos bring me back to the Underworld. I think my dad is turning a blind eye. I think—I think he wants me to find Nico."

"And we will," Andy promised. "As soon as the others get here, we'll sail for Rome."

Hazel and Frank exchanged uneasy looks, like they'd already talked about this.

"Andy..." Frank said. "If you want us to come along, we're in. But are you sure? I mean… we know you've got tons of friends at the other camp. And you could pick anyone at Camp Jupiter now. If we're not part of the seven, we'd understand—"

"Are you kidding?" Andy said. "I hope you're kidding. Please, tell me you're kidding." They stared at her quietly. "Guys... I don't think either of you understands how much you mean to me. So unless you'd like to drown, I say shut up and accept you're important."

The tension broke. All three of them started cracking up, maybe a little too much, but it was a relief to be alive. The sun was shining and they didn't have to worry, at least for now, about dying a painful death.

Life was good.

* * *

Some time went by after that—a time that seemed to go on forever—a time that almost made Andy go insane with waiting. And then, when she least expected, Tyson came running across the forum, Ella fluttering behind him with a scroll in her talons. She dropped the scroll in Andy's lap.

"Special delivery," she said. "From an aura. A wind spirit. Yes, Ella got a special delivery."

"The scroll is from a Leo," Tyson told them. "He is funny and small."

The scroll looked unremarkable, but when Andy spread it across her lap, a video recording flickered on the parchment. A kid in Greek armor grinned up at them. He had an impish face, curly black hair, and wild eyes, like he'd just had several cups of coffee.

Hazel choked on an olive. It was another sunny day and Hazel, Frank and Any were having a picnic just outside the city.

"What?" Frank asked, patting her back. "What's wrong?"

"Hey!" said the guy in the video. "Greetings from your friends at Camp Half-Blood, et cetera. This is Leo. I'm the..." He looked off screen and yelled: "What's my title? Am I like admiral, or captain, or—"

A girl's voice yelled back, "Repair boy."

"Ha ha, McLean," he grumbled. He turned back to the parchment screen. "So yeah, I'm… ah... supreme commander of the Argo II. Yeah, I like that! Anyway, we're gonna be sailing toward you in about, I dunno, an hour in this big mother warship. We'd appreciate it if you'd not, like, blow us out of the sky or anything. So okay! If you could tell the Romans that. See you soon. Yours in demigodishness, and all that. Peace out."

The parchment turned blank.

"It can't be," Hazel said.

"What?" Frank asked. "You know that guy?"

Hazel looked like she'd seen a ghost. "It's Sammy Valdez," she said. "I knew him back when... back before... but how... how..."

"It can't be," Andy said. "His name is Leo." They were interrupted by horns blowing in the distance. The senators came marching into the forum with Reyna at the lead. "It's meeting time. Come on. We've got to warn them about the warship."

* * *

"Why should we trust these Greeks?" Octavian was saying. He'd been pacing the senate floor for five minutes, going on and on, trying to counter what Andy had told them about Juno's plan and the Prophecy of Seven. The senate shifted restlessly, but most of them were too afraid to interrupt Octavian while he was on a roll. The Senate House was packed. Queen Hylla, Frank, and Hazel sat in the front row with the senators. Veterans and ghosts filled the back rows. Even Tyson and Ella had been allowed to sit in the back.

Andy and Reyna occupied matching praetors' chairs on the dais, which made Andy a little self-conscious.

"The camp is safe," Octavian continued. "I'll be the first to congratulate our heroes for bringing back the legion's eagle and so much Imperial gold! Truly we have been blessed with good fortune. But why do more? Why tempt fate?"

"I'm glad you asked." Andy stood, taking the question as an opening.

Octavian stammered, "I wasn't—"

"—part of the quest," Andy finished for him. "I know. Thanks for reminding us. You're wise to let me explain, since I was."

Some of the senators snickered. Octavian had no choice but to sit down and try not to look embarrassed.

"Gaea is waking," Andy said. "We've defeated two of her giants, but that's only the beginning. The real war will take place in the old land of the gods. The quest will take us to Rome, and eventually to Greece."

An uneasy ripple spread through the senate.

"I know, I know. You've always thought of the Greeks as your enemies. And there's a good reason for that. I think the gods have kept our two camps apart because whenever we meet, we fight. But that can change. It has to change if we're to defeat Gaea. That's what the Prophecy of Seven means. Seven demigods, Greek and Roman, will have to close the Doors of Death together."

"Ha!" shouted a Lar from the back row. "The last time a praetor tried to interpret the Prophecy of Seven, it was Michael Varus, who lost our eagle in Alaska! Why should we believe you now?"

Octavian smiled smugly.

"Because I'm the praetor who got your eagle back," she said. "I carried Juno across the Tiber. She told me that the Prophecy of Seven is coming to pass. Mars also appeared to you in person. Do you think two of your most important gods would appear at camp if the situation wasn't serious?"

"She's right," Gwen said from the second row. "I, for one, trust Andy's word. Greek or not, she restored the honor of the legion. You saw her on the battlefield. Would anyone here say she is not a true hero of Rome?"

Nobody argued. A few nodded in agreement.

Then Reyna stood. Andy watched her anxiously. "You claim this is a combined quest," she said. "You claim Juno intends for us to work with this—this other group, Camp Half-Blood. Yet the Greeks have been our enemies for eons. They are known for their deceptions."

"Maybe so," Andy said. "But enemies can become friends. A month ago, would you have thought Romans and Amazons would be fighting side by side?"

Queen Hylla laughed. "She's got a point."

"The demigods of Camp Half-Blood have already been working with Camp Jupiter," Andy said. "We just didn't realize it. During the Titan War last summer, while you were attacking Mount Othrys, we were defending Mount Olympus in Manhattan. I fought Kronos myself."

Reyna backed up, almost tripping over her toga. "You—what?"

"I know it's hard to believe. But I think I've earned your trust. I'm on your side. Hazel and Frank—I'm sure they're meant to go with me on this quest. The other four are on their way from Camp Half-Blood right now. One of them is Lena Grace, your old praetor."

"Oh, come on!" Octavian shouted. "She's making things up, now."

Reyna frowned. "It is a lot to believe. Lena is coming back with a bunch of Greek demigods? You say they're going to appear in the sky in a heavily armed warship, but we shouldn't be worried."

"Yes." Andy looked over the rows of nervous, doubtful spectators. "Just let them land. Hear them out. Lena will backup everything I'm telling you. I swear it on my life."

"On your life?" Octavian looked meaningfully at the senate. "We will remember that, if this turns out to be a trick." His face was red with rage. He was strangling his teddy bear. "The omens are horrible! This is a trick, a deception. Beware Greeks bearing gifts!"

"No," Andy said firmly. "You all raised me as praetor for a reason. I will fight to defend this camp with my life. But these aren't enemies. I say we stand ready, but do not attack. Let them land. Let them speak. If it is a trick, then I will fight with you, as I've done before. You have my word."

All eyes turned toward Reyna. She studied Andy. "When they arrived, we will welcome them. But the legion will stand ready. Andy Jackson is your duly chosen praetor. We will trust her word—unless we are given clear reason not to."

The senators stampeded out of the auditorium. Octavian gave Andy a disgusted look, then threw down his teddy bear and followed the crowd.

Reyna glanced at Andy. "I support you, Andy," she said. "I trust your judgment. But for all our sakes, I hope we can keep the peace between our campers and your Greek friends."

"We will," she promised. "You'll see."

Reyna's expression turned a little wistful. "You say Lena will return to us—I hope that's true. I've missed her." She marched outside, leaving Andy alone with Hazel and Frank.

"Andy," Hazel said, "you swore on your life. Romans take that seriously. If anything goes wrong, even by accident, Octavian is going to kill you. You know that, right?"

Andy smiled. It was a sunny day. A bright, clear day. A blue day. A new day.

She knew the stakes were high. She knew this day could go horribly wrong. But she also knew that Anthony was on that ship and, for him, she'd risk anything.

It was a beautiful day.

"Finally," she told the skies. "Two worlds. One family."

—End of Act II—


	37. The Parley

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part I — _I see her smiling and my knees start buckling, I see inside her and my doubts are gone._

* * *

Anthony paced the deck of the flying warship checking and double-checking everything. He reviewed the plan with the rest of the crew—and the backup plan, and the backup plan for the backup plan.

Everything seemed to be in order.

On the stern quarterdeck, Leo rushed around like a madman wrestling levers. Piper paced back and forth practicing her lines.

"Lower your weapons," she murmured. "We just want to talk." Her charmspeak was so powerful, the words flowed over Anthony, filling him with the desire to drop his dagger and have a nice long chat. Piper was really beautiful; she looked like a sculpture in her perfection. Normal girls didn't look like that. Anthony found that very disturbing, especially when he thought of Andy—uncomplicated, clumsy, amazing Andy.

She was somewhere below them right now. Just thinking about her made his palms start sweating. Panic welled up inside him. He forced it down.

Anthony shook his head and looked away. Lena stood on the platform, where the Romans could easily spot her. Her knuckles were white on the hilt of her golden sword. Anthony tried to hide it, but he still didn't completely trust her. Lena acted too perfect—always following the rules, always doing the honorable thing. Anthony couldn't look at her without getting a bitter taste in his mouth.

Then, in the valley below, horns sounded. The Romans had spotted them.

Anthony had trouble believing his eyes. Directly below the ship, nestled at the edge of the lake, the city of New Rome gleamed in the sunlight. About half a mile to the west, where the horns were blowing, a Roman fort stood on a hill. Anthony scanned the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of Andy.

That's when something behind him went BOOM! The explosion almost knocked him overboard. Anthony whirled and found himself eye to eye with an angry statue.

"Unacceptable!" the statue shrieked. It had exploded into existence, right there on the deck. "I will not have weapons inside the Pomerian Line!" he announced. "I certainly will not have Greeks!"

"Terminus," Lena said. "It's me. Lena Grace."

"Oh, I remember you, Grace!" Terminus grumbled. "I thought you had better sense than to consort with the enemies of Rome!"

"But they're not enemies—"

"That's right," Piper jumped in. "We just want to talk. If we could—"

"Ha!" snapped the statue. "Don't try that charmspeak on me, young lady. And put down that dagger before I slap it out of your hands!"

"Um—how would you slap it? You don't have any arms."

"Impertinence!"

"Let's all calm down." Anthony raised his hands to show he had no weapons. "I take it you're Terminus, the god of boundaries. Lena told me you protect the city of New Rome, right? I'm Anthony Chase, son of—"

"Oh, I know who you are!" The statue glared at him with its blank white eyes. "A child of Athena, Minerva's Greek form. Scandalous! You Greeks have no sense of decency. We Romans know the proper place for that goddess."

Anthony clenched his jaw. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Right!" Lena interrupted. "Anyway, Terminus, we're here on a mission of peace. We'd love permission to land so we can—"

"Impossible!" the god squeaked. "Lay down your weapons and surrender! Leave my city immediately!"

"Which is it?" Leo asked. "Surrender, or leave?"

"Both!" Terminus said. "Surrender, then leave. I am slapping your face for asking such a stupid question, you ridiculous boy! Do you feel that?"

"Whoa, I feel it."

"Weapons are not allowed on Roman soil inside the Pomerian Line," insisted Terminus. "And this entire ship is a weapon! You cannot land!"

Down in the valley, the legion reinforcements were halfway to the city. The crowd in the forum was over a hundred strong now. Anthony scanned the faces until he saw her. Andy looked so at ease, so happy. She wore a purple cape—the mark of a praetor.

"Leo, stop the ship," Anthony ordered, his heart beating in his ears.

"What?"

"You heard me. Keep us right where we are."

Leo pulled out his controller and yanked it upward. All ninety oars froze in place. The ship stopped.

"Terminus," Anthony said, "there's no rule against hovering over New Rome, is there?"

The statue frowned. "Well, no..."

"We can keep the ship aloft," Anthony said. "We'll use a rope ladder to reach the forum. That way, the ship won't be on Roman soil. Not technically."

The statue seemed to ponder this. "I like technicalities," he admitted. "Still..."

"All our weapons will stay aboard the ship," Anthony promised. "I assume the Romans—even those reinforcements marching toward us—will also have to honor your rules inside the Pomerian Line if you tell them to?"

"Of course!" Terminus said. "Do I look like I tolerate rule breakers?"

"Hey, man..." Leo said. "You sure this is a good idea?"

Anthony closed his fists to keep them from shaking. Andy was down there—so immediate, so close. Nothing would stop him from getting to her now. "It'll be fine," he said. "No one will be armed. We can talk in peace. Terminus will make sure each side obeys the rules. Do we have an agreement?"

Terminus sniffed. "I suppose. For now. You may climb down your ladder to New Rome, son of Athena. Please try not to destroy my town."

* * *

A sea of hastily assembled demigods parted for Anthony as he walked through the forum. Some looked tense, some nervous. But no one attacked. At the far end of the crowd, Anthony spotted Tyson and Mrs. O'Leary. They looked to be in good spirits. Tyson waved and grinned.

The demigods made way for a girl in full Roman armor and a purple cape. Dark hair tumbled across her shoulders. Her eyes were as black as obsidian. Reyna. Even if he didn't know who she was, Anthony would have singled her out as the leader. She carried herself with such confidence the other demigods backed away and averted their gaze.

Anthony and Reyna considered each other. The Romans murmured Lena's name, staring at her in awe. Then someone else appeared from the crowd, and Anthony's vision tunneled.

Andy came running in all of her speed pushing aside every demigod in front of her. Her sea-green eyes were as gorgeous as Anthony remembered. The two of them collided and Andy held him so close Anthony could feel her heartbeat.

Everyone seemed uncomfortable, but no one moved or said a thing. After making sure she was not going to disappear again, Anthony studied her more carefully. Andy was just as he remembered, but she was also more confident and more muscular. He wondered what she'd had to do to survive in this place.

Reyna called her name, authoritatively, but Andy either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her. Her eyes were all for him. They exchanged a few quick, quiet words to make sure the other was okay, but there wasn't much they could do in front of all these people.

Reyna straightened. With apparent reluctance, she turned toward Lena. "Lena," she said the name slowly and with affection. Lena was careful not to touch Piper in front of her. "I welcome you home. And these, your friends—"

Lena cleared her throat. "It's good to be back, Reyna. This is Piper McLean and Anthony Chase."

Reyna's eyes sparkled. "Of course."

Anthony forced himself to look away from Andy and shake the preator's hand. Two kids appeared—a burly Asian guy and a girl with dark skin and long curly hair.

Andy almost jumped in excitement. "Ooh, you guys!" she said, grinning. "Come here, come here." They stood next to her protectively, and Anthony fought down a twinge of jealousy. "This is Frank and Hazel. My new best friends. Guys, this is—"

"Anthony," said the both of them together.

Meanwhile, Reyna was giving orders to her officers. "…tell the legion to stand down. Dakota, alert the spirits in the kitchen. Tell them to prepare a welcome feast. And, Octavian—"

"You're letting these intruders into the camp?" A tall guy with stringy blond hair elbowed his way forward. "Reyna, the security risks—"

"We're not taking them to the camp, Octavian." Reyna flashed him a stern look. "We'll eat here, in the forum."

"Oh, much better," Octavian grumbled. "You want us to relax in the shadow of their warship."

"These are our guests." Reyna clipped off every word. "We will welcome them, and we will talk to them. As augur, you should burn an offering to thank the gods for bringing Lena back to us safely."

"Oh, good idea," Andy put in. "Go burn your bears, Octavian."

Reyna looked like she was trying not to smile. "You have my orders. Go."

The officers dispersed. Octavian shot Andy a look of absolute loathing, then he stalked away.

Andy slipped her hand into Anthony's. "Don't worry about him," she said, "he's an idiot. Most of the Romans are good people—like Frank and Hazel here, and Reyna. We'll be fine."

"We'll be fine," Anthony repeated, trying to believe it.

"Excellent," Reyna said. She turned to Lena, and there was a hungry sort of gleam in her eyes. "Let's talk, and we can have a proper reunion."

All Anthony wanted to do was be with Andy—preferably alone, but he knew he would have to wait. If their quest was going to succeed, they needed the Romans.

Reyna and a few of her officers, including the blond kid Octavian, sat with Anthony and his crew. Andy joined them with Frank and Hazel. She leaned over and whispered, "I want to show you around New Rome. This place is incredible."

Resentment swelled in his throat—this wasn't her home, she couldn't possibly be happy to be here. He tried not to stare at the new marks on Andy's forearm, the ones burned into her flesh, as if to say: You belong to us. Permanently.

"You're going to love it," she continued feverishly. "And if everything works fine, maybe we can stay for—" she stopped as Reyna called a toast to friendship.

After introductions, the Romans and Greeks began exchanging stories. Lena explained how she'd arrived at Camp Half-Blood without her memory, and how she'd gone on a quest with Piper and Leo to rescue the goddess Hera from imprisonment at the Wolf House in northern California.

"Impossible!" Octavian broke in. "That's our most sacred place. If the giants had imprisoned a goddess there—"

"They would've destroyed her," Piper said. "And blamed it on the Greeks, and started a war between the camps. Now, be quiet and let Lena finish."

Octavian opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Anthony noticed Reyna looking back and forth between Lena and Piper, her brow creased, as if just beginning to realize the two of them were a couple. Suddenly he felt horrible. What if the same had happened to him and Andy?

"So," Lena continued, "that's how we found out about the earth goddess Gaea. She's still half asleep, but she's the one freeing the monsters from Tartarus and raising the giants. Porphyrion, the big leader dude we fought at the Wolf House: he said he was retreating to the ancient lands—Greece itself. He plans on awakening Gaea and destroying the gods by... what did he call it? Pulling up their roots?"

Andy nodded thoughtfully. "Gaea's a busy lady. We had our own encounter with Queen Dirt Face." She recounted her side of the story. She talked about waking up at the Wolf House with no memories—

"Except one," said Hazel with a grin.

Andy blushed. "Let's not—"

"She remembered you," Frank told Anthony. "That's all she talked about ever since—"

"Ta ta ta!" Andy raised her voice. "I am your praetor! You can't embarrassing me during—"

"And she had that panda, remember, Frank?" Hazel said. "The one she called Tony?"

Anthony smiled warmly, but Andy looked annoyed. "Yes. And Octavian murdered him. Don't think I've forgotten. I'm still gonna get you for that. Now—" She told them how she'd traveled to Alaska with Frank and Hazel—how they'd defeated the giant Alcyoneus, freed the death god Thanatos, and returned with the lost golden eagle standard of the Roman camp to repel an attack by the giants' army.

When Andy finished, Lena whistled appreciatively. "No wonder they made you praetor."

Octavian snorted. "Which means we now have three praetors! The rules clearly state we can only have two!"

"On the bright side," Andy said, "both Lena and I outrank you, Octavian. So we can both tell you to shut the hell up."

Octavian turned as purple as a Roman T-shirt. Lena gave Andy a fist bump. Even Reyna managed a smile, though her eyes were stormy.

"We'll have to figure out the extra praetor problem later," she said. "Right now we have more serious issues to deal with."

"I'll step aside for Lena," Andy said easily. "It's no biggie."

"No biggie?" Octavian choked. "The praetorship of Rome is no biggie?"

Everyone ignored him. Anthony cleared his throat. "We should talk about the Great Prophecy. It sounds like the Romans are aware of it too?"

Reyna nodded. "We call it the Prophecy of Seven. Octavian, you have it committed to memory?"

"Of course," he said. "But, Reyna—"

"Recite it, please. In English, not Latin."

Octavian didn't seem inclined to speak, so Anthony did it for him. "' _Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.'_ "

Everyone stared at him. Frank sat forward staring at him in fascination. "Is it true you're a child of Min—I mean, Athena?"

"Yes," he said, suddenly feeling defensive. "Why is that such a surprise?"

Octavian scoffed. "If you're truly a child of the wisdom goddess—"

"Enough," Reyna snapped. "Anthony is what he says. He's here in peace. Besides..." She gave Anthony a look of grudging respect. "Andy has spoken highly of him. Like I said before, we trust her word until given reason not to."

"Thank you," Anthony told Reyna. "At any rate, some of the prophecy is becoming clear. 'Foes bearing arms to the Doors of Death'—that means Romans and Greeks. We have to combine forces to find those doors."

"My brother, Nico, went looking for the doors," Hazel said.

"Nico di Angelo? He's your brother?" Hazel nodded as if this was obvious. Anthony put that aside for the moment. "Okay. You were saying?"

"He disappeared." Hazel moistened her lips. "I'm afraid... I'm not sure, but I think something's happened to him."

"We'll look for him," Andy said. "We have to find the Doors of Death anyway. Thanatos told us we'd find both answers in Rome—like, the original Rome. That's on the way to Greece, right?"

"And this is our praetor..." mumbled Octavian.

Andy gave him the evil eye. "I will smack you on the side of the head—"

"Thanatos told you this?" Anthony interrupted. "The death god?"

Andy glanced at him and her eyes softened. "Yep. Now that Death is free, monsters will disintegrate and return to Tartarus again like they used to. But as long as the Doors of Death are open, they'll just keep coming back."

"Like water leaking through a dam," Piper suggested.

"Yeah." Andy smiled. "We've got a dam hole," and she laughed maniacally.

"What?" Piper asked.

"Nothing," she said quickly when she noticed everyone was staring at her. "Inside joke. The point is we'll have to find the doors and close them before we can head to Greece. It's the only way we'll stand a chance of defeating the giants and making sure they stay defeated."

"You propose an expedition to Greece in your warship," said Reyna. "You do realize that the ancient lands—and the Mare Nostrum—are dangerous? The territory that was once the Roman Empire is not only the birthplace of the gods. It's also the ancestral home of the monsters, Titans and giants—and worse things. As dangerous as travel is for demigods here in America, there it would be ten times worse."

"You said Alaska would be bad," Andy reminded her. "We survived that."

Reyna shook her head. "Andy, traveling in the Mediterranean is a different level of danger altogether. It's been off limits to Roman demigods for centuries. No hero in his right mind would go there."

"Then we're good!" Andy grinned. "Because we're all crazy, right?"

"We'll have to hurry," Lena added. "I don't know exactly what the giants are planning, but Gaea is growing more conscious all the time. She's invading dreams, appearing in weird places, summoning more and more powerful monsters. We have to stop the giants before they can wake her up fully."

" _'Seven half-bloods must answer the call'_ ," Anthony said. "It needs to be a mix from both our camps. We are four already."

"Five," Andy said affronted. "Plus Hazel and Frank. That's seven."

"What?" Octavian shot to his feet. "We're just supposed to accept that? Without a vote in the senate? Without a proper debate? Without—"

"Andy!" Tyson the Cyclops bounded toward them with Mrs. O'Leary at his heels. On the hellhound's back sat a sickly-looking harpy with stringy red hair, a sackcloth dress, and red-feathered wings. "Ella is scared," he said.

"N-n-no more boats," the harpy muttered to herself, picking furiously at her feathers. "Titanic, Lusitania... boats are not for harpies."

"Ella is pretty," Tyson said. "And scared. We need to take her away, but she will not go on the ship."

"No ships," Ella repeated. She looked straight at Anthony. "Bad luck. There he is. _'Wisdom's child walks alone'_ —"

"Ella!" Frank stood suddenly. "Maybe it's not the best time—"

" _'The Mark of Athena burns through Rome,'_ " Ella continued, cupping her hands over her ears and raising her voice. " _'Twins snuff out the angel's breath, who holds the key to endless death. Giants' bane stands gold and pale, won through pain from a woven jail.'_ "

Everyone stared at the harpy. No one spoke. Anthony's heart was pounding. He resisted the urge to check his pocket, but he could feel the silver coin growing warmer—the cursed gift from his mother.

Andy was the first to recover. She stood and took Tyson's arm. "I know!" she said with feigned enthusiasm. "How about you take Ella to get some fresh air, uh? You and Mrs. O'Leary—"

"Hold on." Octavian fixed his eyes on Ella. "What was that she said? It sounded like—"

"Ella reads a lot," Frank blurted out. "We found her at a library."

"Yes!" Hazel said. "Probably just something she read in a book."

"Books," Ella muttered helpfully. "Ella likes books."

Anthony gave Andy a curious glance. They were obviously hiding something. But Andy's expression said— _help_.

"That was a prophecy," Octavian insisted. "It sounded like a prophecy."

No one answered.

Anthony forced a laugh. "Really, Octavian? Maybe harpies are different here, on the Roman side. Ours have just enough intelligence to clean cabins and cook lunches. Do yours usually foretell the future? Do you consult them for your auguries?" His words had the intended effect. The Roman officers laughed nervously.

"I, uh..." Octavian dropped his teddy bear. "No, but—"

"She's just spouting lines from some book," Anthony said, "like Hazel suggested. Besides, we already have a real prophecy to worry about." He turned to Tyson. "Andy's right. Why don't you take Ella and Mrs. O'Leary and shadow-travel somewhere for a while. Is Ella okay with that?"

" _'Large dogs are good,'_ " Ella said. "Old Yeller, 1957, screenplay by Fred Gipson and William Tunberg."

"Great!" Andy said. "We'll Iris-message you guys when we're done and catch up with you later."

The Romans looked at Reyna, waiting for her ruling. "Fine," the praetor said at last. "Go."

"Yay!" Tyson went around the couches and gave everyone a big hug—even Octavian, who didn't look happy about it. Then they left.

"This whole thing smells of treachery," Octavian grumbled. "That trireme is not a ship of peace!"

"Go aboard," Anthony offered. "Leo is there, he'll give you a tour."

"It's a good idea," Reyna said. "Octavian, go. See the ship. We'll convene a senate meeting in one hour."

"But..." Octavian stopped. Apparently he could tell from Reyna's expression that further arguing would not be good for his health. "Fine."

"Uh, Reyna," Lena said, "if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to you before the senate meeting." She seemed nervous and her cheeks were coloring. "Alone, I mean."

Reyna's expression hardened. Andy seemed unaware of the danger. "Yeah, and I'd like to show Anthony—"

"No," Reyna snapped.

Andy knit her eyebrows. "Sorry?"

"Andy and Lena... No. I would like a few words with Anthony," Reyna said. "Alone. If you don't mind." Her tone made it clear she wasn't really asking permission.

"I do, actually," Andy said. "I was thinking—"

"Andy," Anthony said urgently. "I'll be with you shortly."

Andy narrowed her eyes. "You guys are killing me," she said before walking away.

Reyna smiled. "Come, son of Athena. Walk with me."

* * *

Anthony wanted to hate New Rome, but as an aspiring architect, he couldn't help admiring pretty much everything.

"We have the best architects and builders in the world," Reyna said, as if reading his thoughts. "Rome always did, in the ancient times. Many demigods stay on to live here after their time in the legion. They go to our university. They settle down to raise families. Andy seemed interested in this fact."

Anthony must have scowled more fiercely than he realized, because Reyna frowned, "You've got fire in your eyes."

Anthony tried to tone down the glare. Reyna turned and whistled like she was hailing a cab. A moment later, two metal dogs raced toward them—automaton greyhounds, one silver and one gold. They brushed against Reyna's legs and regarded Anthony with glistening ruby eyes.

"My pets," she explained. "Aurum and Argentum. They'll walk with us. See, in our camp, Athena is Minerva. Are you familiar with how her Roman form is different?"

"I take it Minerva isn't... uh, quite as respected here?"

"We respect Minerva. She's the goddess of crafts and wisdom... but she isn't really a goddess of war. Not for Romans. We have Bellona, my mother, for that. Minerva is also a maiden goddess, like Diana... You won't find any children of Minerva here. The idea that Minerva would have children… frankly, it's a little shocking to us."

"Oh."

"I understand that you Greeks don't see things the same way," Reyna continued. "But Romans take vows of maidenhood very seriously. The Vestal Virgins, for instance... if they broke their vows and fell in love with anyone, they would be buried alive. So the idea that a maiden goddess would have children—"

"Got it." Anthony said quickly. "I'm not supposed to exist. And even if your camp had children of Minerva—"

"They wouldn't be like you," Reyna said. "They might be craftsmen, artists, maybe advisers, but not warriors. Not leaders of dangerous quests."

Anthony started to object that he wasn't the leader of the quest, but Reyna stopped him. "There's more. The harpy Ella—it was a prophecy she spoke. We both know that, don't we?"

Anthony swallowed. "It sounded like a prophecy," he admitted. "But I've never met Ella before today, and I've never heard those lines exactly."

"I have," Reyna murmured. "At least some of them—"

Anthony kept glancing at Reyna's face. A vague memory started tugging at him—the way Reyna brushed her hair behind her ear, the silver ring she wore with the torch and sword design.

"We've met before," he ventured. "You were younger, I think."

Reyna gave him a dry smile. "Very good. Andy didn't remember me. Of course she didn't remember most of anything. You spoke mostly with my older sister, Hylla, who is now queen of the Amazons. She left just this morning, before you arrived. At any rate, when we last met, I was a mere handmaiden in the house of Circe."

"Circe..." Anthony said in amazement. "And Hylla is queen of the Amazons? How did you two—?"

"Long story," Reyna said. "But I remember it well. Andy—I've never seen anyone refuse Circe's hospitality, much less outwit her. It's no wonder you care for her." Her voice was wistful. "Lena and that girl—"

"I'm sorry," Anthony said quickly. "I can see you care for her."

"We were together before she disappeared," Reyna admitted. "I suppose it wasn't meant to be."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Andy Jackson remembered you."

The hurt in her voice was as sharp as broken glass. Anthony wondered if he had sounded that way while he was searching for Andy. He wondered how much it would hurt to find her with another, as if their love hadn't mattered.

"That is not why I wanted to speak with you," Reyna continued. "I wanted to hear it from you... The truth. Convince me that I'm not making a mistake by trusting you. Tell me about yourself. Tell me about Camp Half-Blood. The girl has sorcery in her words. I can't trust what she says. And Lena... well, she has changed. She's not quite Roman... anymore."

Anthony hadn't been prepared to feel sorry for her. He thought it'd be best to keep that feeling hidden. Reyna didn't strike him as someone who would appreciate pity. Instead, he told her his life story. He described the Camp Half-Blood and the years growing up there. He talked about meeting Andy and everything that had happened since then.

Reyna was a good listener. When he was done talking, she gazed over New Rome. "Unlike your mother, mine has no Greek equivalent. She is fully, truly Roman. She's the goddess of protecting the homeland. When the Romans go to war, we first visit the Temple of Bellona. Romans have always believed that offense is the best defense. In ancient times, whenever our ancestors felt threatened by their neighbors, they would invade to protect themselves."

"They conquered everyone around them," Anthony said. "Carthage, the Gauls—"

"And the Greeks." Reyna let that comment hang. "My point, Anthony, is that it isn't Rome's nature to cooperate with other powers. Every time Greek and Roman demigods have met, we've fought. Conflicts between our two sides have started some of the most horrible wars in human history—especially civil wars."

"It doesn't have to be that way," he said. "We've got to work together, or Gaea will destroy us both."

"I agree," Reyna said. "But is cooperation possible? What if Juno's plan is flawed? Even goddesses can make mistakes."

"I don't trust Hera," he admitted. "But I do trust my friends. This isn't a trick, Reyna. We can work together."

"I believe you mean it. But if you go to the ancient lands, especially Rome itself, there is something you should know about your mother."

Anthony's shoulders tensed. "My—my mother?"

"When I lived on Circe's island, we had many visitors. Once, perhaps a year before you and Andy arrived, a young man washed ashore. He was half mad from thirst and heat. He'd been drifting at sea for days. His words didn't make much sense, but he said he was a son of Athena." Reyna paused as if waiting for a reaction.

"What happened?"

Reyna waved her hand as if the question was trivial. "Circe turned him into a guinea pig, of course. But before that, he kept raving about his failed quest. He claimed that he'd gone to Rome, following the Mark of Athena."

Anthony almost choked.

"Yes," Reyna said, seeing his discomfort. "He kept muttering about wisdom's child, the Mark of Athena, and the giants' bane standing pale and gold. The same lines Ella was just reciting. But you say that you've never heard them before today?"

"Not—not the way Ella said them." Anthony's voice was weak. "Did this demigod—did he explain his quest?"

Reyna shook her head. "At the time, I had no idea what he was talking about. Much later, when I became praetor of Camp Jupiter, I began to suspect."

"Suspect… what?"

"There is an old legend that the praetors of Camp Jupiter have passed down through the centuries. If it's true, it may explain why our two groups of demigods have never been able to work together. It may be the cause of our animosity. Until this old score is finally settled, so the legend goes, Romans and Greeks will never be at peace. And the legend centers on Athena—"

A shrill sound pierced the air. Light flashed and Anthony turned in time to see an explosion blast a new crater in the forum. A burning couch tumbled through the air. Demigods scattered in panic. Anthony reached for his dagger which, of course, wasn't there.

Reyna's eyes seethed with rage. "You've betrayed our trust."

"What? No!" As soon as he said it, the Argo II launched a second volley. Its port ballista fired a massive spear wreathed in Greek fire, which sailed straight through the broken dome of the Senate House and exploded inside, lighting up the building. "Gods, no. Reyna, it isn't possible. We'd never do this!"

The metal dogs ran to their mistress' side. They snarled at Anthony but paced uncertainly, as if reluctant to attack. "You're telling the truth," Reyna judged. "Perhaps you were not aware of this treachery, but someone must pay."

Down in the forum, chaos was spreading. Crowds were pushing and shoving. Fistfights were breaking out.

"Bloodshed," Reyna said.

"We have to stop it!"

The Roman demigods in the forum had coalesced into an angry mob. Piper and Lena were trying to calm them without much luck. Piper's charmspeak was useless against so many screaming, angry demigods. Lena's forehead was bleeding.

"I hate my job," Reyna growled. She rushed off toward the legionnaires, her dogs at her side.

Two Romans tried to grab Anthony. He ducked past them, plunging into the crowd. He spotted Andy—she, Hazel and Frank, were standing in the middle of a fountain as Andy repelled the angry Romans with blasts of water. Anthony noticed Octavian, his robes steaming and his face black with soot, clinging desperately to the rope ladder, trying to climb down the Argus II.

"Anthony!" Andy called. "What the hell—?"

"I don't know!"

Octavian reached the bottom of the ladder. "The Greeks have fired on us! Your boy Leo has trained his weapons on Rome!"

"You're lying," Anthony said. "Leo would never—"

"I was just there!" Octavian shrieked. "I saw it with my own eyes! Romans, kill the invaders!"

"We have to leave," Anthony told Andy. "Now."

She nodded grimly. "Hazel, Frank... Are you coming?"

Hazel looked terrified, but she donned her cavalry helmet. "Of course we are. But you'll never make it to the ship unless we buy you some time."

"How?" Anthony asked.

Hazel whistled. Instantly a blur of beige shot across the forum. A majestic horse materialized next to the fountain. He reared, whinnying and scattering the mob. Hazel climbed on his back like she'd been born to ride. She unsheathed her golden blade. "Send me an Iris-message when you're safely away, and we'll rendezvous," she said. "Arion, ride!" The horse zipped through the crowd with incredible speed, pushing back Romans and causing mass panic.

"Romans!" Lena cried. "Please!" She and Piper were being pelted with plates and stones.

"Get back!" Piper screamed. Her charmspeak rolled over the mob, making them hesitate.

"Frank," Andy said, "help them!"

"Oh, gods," Frank murmured. "Okay, sure. Just get up the ropes. Now."

Andy and Anthony lunged for the ladder. Octavian was still clinging to the bottom, but Andy yanked him off and threw him into the mob. Leo stood amidships, calmly reloading the ballista.

Anthony's gut twisted with horror. "Leo!" he screamed. "What are you doing?"

"Destroy them..." He faced Anthony. His eyes were glazed. His movements were like a robot's. "Destroy them all." Anthony tackled him. Leo's head hit the deck hard, and his eyes rolled up.

A gray dragon soared into view. It circled the ship once and landed at the bow, depositing Lena and Piper, who both collapsed.

"Is that—"

"Yeah," Andy said. "Frank's got some moves! Now, get us out of here, Wonder Boy!"

Anthony ran for the helm. He looked over the controls and cursed Leo for making them so complicated. He grabbed the aviation throttle and yanked it straight back. The ship groaned. The bow tilted up at a horrifying angle. The mooring lines snapped, and the Argo II shot into the clouds.


	38. The Blame Game

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part II — _I suddenly see him standing there. A beautiful stranger, tall and fair. I wanna stuff some chocolate in my face!_

* * *

"One more time," Anthony demanded. "What the hell happened?"

Leo slumped against the mast. His head still throbbed. "I don't know. It's fuzzy." Anthony was staring at him. Leo wouldn't have admitted, but he was scared of the guy. So he tried harder to explain. "I—I... it's like I was watching myself do things. I couldn't control it."

"Long story short," said Andy, "you blew up some stuff. You attacked some Romans. It was bad."

Anthony knelt next to Leo. "Leo," he said calmly, "did Octavian trick you somehow? Did he frame you, or—"

"No. The guy was a jerk, but he didn't fire on the camp. I did."

Frank scowled. "On purpose?"

"No!" Leo squeezed his eyes shut. "Well, yes—I mean, I didn't want to. But at the same time, I felt like I wanted to. Something was making me do it. There was this cold feeling inside me—"

"A cold feeling." Anthony's tone changed. He sounded almost... scared.

"Yeah," Leo said. "Why?"

From below decks, Piper called up, "Anthony, we need you."

"Frank, I'll be back. Just... watch Leo," Anthony said walking off with Andy Jackson.

Leo and Frank stared at each other. "So," Frank said. "Your name isn't Sammy?"

Leo scowled. "What kind of question is that?"

"Nothing," Frank said quickly. "I just… Nothing. About the firing on the camp... Octavian could be behind it, like magically or something. He didn't want the Romans getting along with you guys."

Leo wanted to believe that. "Look," he said, "I should talk to Festus and get a damage report. You mind...?"

Frank helped him up. "Who is Festus?"

"My friend," Leo said. "His name isn't Sammy either, in case you're wondering. Come on. I'll introduce you."

Fortunately the bronze dragon wasn't damaged. When they reached the bow of the ship, the figurehead turned a hundred and eighty degrees to look at them. Frank yelped and backed away. "It's alive!" he said.

"Yeah. Frank, this is Festus. He used to be a full bronze dragon, but we had an accident."

"You have a lot of accidents," Frank noted.

"Well, some of us can't turn into dragons, so we have to build our own." Leo arched his eyebrows at Frank. "Anyway, I revived him as a figurehead. He's kind of the ship's main interface now. How are things looking, Festus?"

Festus snorted smoke and made a series of squeaking, whirring sounds.

"Ugh," Leo said. "Could be worse, but the hull is compromised in several places. The port aerial oars have to be fixed before we can go full speed again. We'll need some repair materials: Celestial bronze, tar, lime—"

"What do you need limes for?"

"Dude, lime. Calcium carbonate, used in cement and a bunch of other—Ah, never mind. The point is, this ship isn't going far unless we can fix it."

Festus made another click-creak noise that Leo didn't recognize. It sounded like AY-zuhl.

"Oh—Hazel," he deciphered. "That's the girl with the curly hair, right?"

Frank gulped. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine," Leo said. "According to Festus, her horse is racing along below. She's following us."

"We've got to land, then," Frank said.

Leo studied him. "She's your girlfriend?"

Frank chewed his lip. "Yes."

"You don't sound sure."

"Yes. Yes, definitely. I'm sure."

Leo raised his hands. "Okay, fine. The problem is we can only manage one landing. The way the hull and the oars are, we won't be able to lift off again until we repair, so we'll have to make sure we land somewhere with all the right supplies."

Frank scratched his head. "Where do you get Celestial bronze? You can't just stock up at Home Depot."

"Festus, do a scan."

"He can scan for magic bronze?" Frank marveled. "Is there anything he can't do?"

"You should've seen him when he had a body."

Behind them, the stairs creaked. Andy and Anthony climbed back up.

Leo's heart stumbled. "Is Lena—?"

"She's resting," Anthony said. "Piper's keeping an eye on her, but she should be fine. What's the situation with the ship?"

Leo told Anthony about the damage and the supplies they needed. Festus began to whir and squeak. "Perfect." Leo sighed with relief. "Everything we need in one place. Frank, why don't you turn into a bird or something? Fly down and tell your girlfriend to meet us at the Great Salt Lake in Utah."

* * *

Once they got there, it wasn't a pretty landing, but it was the best Leo could do. "Good job, Festus," he praised. "Take us toward the south shore."

A loud clump-clump-clump shook the hull. A tan stallion appeared on deck with Hazel Levesque on his back.

"How the hell—?" Leo's question died in his throat. "We're in the middle of a lake! Can that thing fly?"

The horse whinnied angrily.

"Arion can't fly," Hazel said. "But he can run across just about anything. Water, vertical surfaces, small mountains—none of that bothers him."

"Oh."

Hazel was looking at him strangely—like she was searching for something in his face. It made him feel uneasy and self-conscious. Leo led the way down the hall. He'd built the ship with four cabins—it was the best he could do in such short term, but he guessed it didn't matter—most of them would be sharing a cabin anyway.

On the way, they passed Lena and Piper's room. The door was open. Piper sat at the side of her berth, holding Lena's hand while she snored with an ice pack on her head. When they reached the mess hall, they found the others—Andy, Anthony, and Frank—sitting dejectedly around the dining table.

"So we've landed," Andy said. "What now?"

Frank plucked on his bowstring. "Figure out the prophecy? I mean... that was a prophecy Ella spoke, right? From the Sibylline Books?"

"The what?" Leo asked. Frank explained. "And you didn't tell the Romans the truth because you didn't want them to get hold of her?"

"Ella's sensitive. She was a captive when we found her. I just didn't want..." Andy sighed. "It doesn't matter now. I sent Tyson an Iris-message, told him to take Ella to Camp Half-Blood. They'll be safe there."

"Let me think about that prophecy," Anthony said, "but right now we have more immediate problems. We have to get this ship fixed. Leo, what do we need?"

"The easiest thing is tar. We can get that in the city. Also, Celestial bronze and lime. According to Festus, we can find both of those on an island in the lake, just west of here."

"We'll have to hurry," Hazel warned. "If I know Octavian, he's searching for us with his auguries. The Romans will send a strike force after us. It's a matter of honor."

Leo felt everyone's eyes on him. "Guys, I don't know what happened. Honestly, I—"

Anthony raised his hand. "We've been talking. We agree it couldn't have been you, Leo. That cold feeling you mentioned... It must have been some sort of magic, either Octavian or Gaea or one of her minions. But until we understand what happened—"

Frank grunted. "How can we be sure it won't happen again?"

Leo's fingers heated up like they were about to catch fire. "I'm fine now," he insisted. "Maybe we should use the buddy system. Nobody goes anywhere alone. We can leave Piper on board with Lena. Send one team into town to get tar. Another team can go after the bronze and the lime."

"Split up?" Andy said. "I don't like splitting up. That sounds like a really bad idea."

"It'll be quicker," Hazel put in. "Besides, there's a reason a quest is usually limited to three demigods, right?"

Anthony raised his eyebrows, as if reappraising Hazel's merits. "You're right. Seven demigods in one place will attract way too much monstrous attention. We shouldn't travel in groups larger than three. No sense alerting more of Gaea's minions than we have to."

Andy didn't look happy about it. She crossed her arms and glanced at Anthony with an accusing look. "As long as you're in my group."

Hazel smiled. "Oh, that's easy. Frank, you were amazing, turning into a dragon! Could you do it again to fly Anthony and Andy into town for the tar?"

Frank opened his mouth like he wanted to protest. "I—I suppose. But what about you?"

"I'll ride Arion with Sa—with Leo, here." She fidgeted with her sword hilt, which made Leo uneasy. "We'll get the bronze and the lime. We can all meet back here by dark."

Frank scowled.

"Leo," said Anthony, "if we get the supplies, how long to fix the ship?"

"With luck, just a few hours."

"Alright," he decided. "We'll meet you back here as soon as possible, but stay safe. We could use some good luck. That doesn't mean we'll get it."

* * *

Riding Arion was the best thing that had happened to Leo all day. He sat behind Hazel, one arm around her waist. The close contact made him a little uncomfortable, but it was the only way he could stay on board. Arion thundered onto the beach. He stomped his hooves and whinnied triumphantly. Hazel and Leo dismounted. Arion pawed the sand.

"He needs to eat," Hazel said. "Gold. Go on, Arion. Thanks for the ride. I'll call you." Just like that, the horse was gone—nothing left but a steaming trail across the lake.

"Fast horse," Leo said, "and expensive to feed."

"Not really," Hazel said. "Gold is easy for me."

Leo raised his eyebrows. "How is gold easy? Please tell me you're not related to King Midas. I don't like that guy."

Hazel pursed her lips, as if she regretted raising the subject. "Never mind."

That made Leo even more curious, but he decided it might be better not to press her. He knelt and cupped a handful of white sand. "Well... one problem solved, anyway. This is lime."

Hazel frowned. "The whole beach?"

"Yeah. See? The granules are perfectly round. It's not really sand. It's calcium carbonate."

Hazel knelt next to him and helped. "We should've brought a pail and shovels."

"We could've made a sand castle."

"A lime castle." Their eyes locked for a second too long. Hazel looked away. "You are so much like—"

"Sammy?" Leo guessed.

She fell backward. "You know?"

"I have no idea who Sammy is. But Frank asked me if I was sure that wasn't my name."

"And—it isn't?"

"No! Jeez."

"You don't have a twin brother or..." Hazel stopped. "Is your family from New Orleans?"

"Nah. Houston. Why? Is Sammy a guy you used to know?"

"It's nothing. You just look like him."

They finished filling the bag in silence. He stood and scanned the island. "Festus said there was Celestial bronze close by, but I'm not sure where—"

"That way." Hazel pointed up the beach. "About five hundred yards."

"How do you—?"

"Precious metals," Hazel said. "It's a Pluto thing."

"Handy talent. Lead the way, Miss Metal Detector."

The sun began to set. Finally Hazel turned inland. And just over the dunes, they saw the woman. She sat on a boulder in the middle of a grassy field. She had curly black hair and a bony frame.

"Aunt Rosa?" Leo asked. It didn't make sense, but this woman looked exactly like his aunt.

"Is that what you see?" the woman asked. "Interesting. And you, Hazel, dear?"

"How did you—?" Hazel stepped back in alarm. "You—you look like Mrs. Leer. My third grade teacher. I hated you."

The woman cackled. "Excellent. You resented her, eh? She judged you unfairly?"

"You—she taped my hands to the desk for misbehaving," Hazel said. "She called my mother a witch. She blamed me for everything I didn't do and—Who are you?"

"Oh, Leo knows," the woman said. "How do you feel about Aunt Rosa?"

"Nemesis," Leo guessed searching his feelings. "You're the goddess of revenge."

"You see?" The goddess smiled at Hazel. "He recognizes me. I'm not affected, you see? I am called Nemesis in both Greek and Roman. I do not change, because revenge is universal."

"What are you talking about?" Leo asked. "What are you doing here?"

"The gods are in terrible shape. It always happens when a civil war is brewing between you Romans and Greeks. The Olympians are torn between their two natures, called on by both sides. They become quite schizophrenic, I'm afraid. Splitting headaches. Disorientation."

"But we're not at war," Leo insisted.

"Um, Leo..." Hazel winced. "Except for the fact that you recently blew up large sections of New Rome."

Leo stared at her. "Not on purpose!"

"I know..." Hazel said, "but the Romans don't realize that. And they'll be pursuing us in retaliation."

Nemesis cackled. "Leo, listen to the girl. War is coming. Gaea has seen to it, with your help. And can you guess whom the gods blame for their predicament?"

"Me."

The goddess snorted. "Well, don't you have a high opinion of yourself. You're just a pawn on the chessboard, Leo Valdez. I was referring to the player who set this ridiculous quest in motion, bringing the Greeks and Romans together. The gods blame Hera—or Juno, if you prefer! The queen of the heavens has fled Olympus to escape the wrath of her family. Don't expect any more help from your patron!"

Leo's head throbbed. "So why are you here?"

"Why, to offer my help!" Nemesis smiled wickedly.

"Your help," Leo said.

"Of course!" said the goddess. "I enjoy tearing down the proud and powerful, and there are none who deserve tearing down like Gaea and her giants. Still, I must warn you that I will not suffer undeserved success. Good luck is a sham. True success requires sacrifice."

"Right now," he said, trying to control his anger, "all I want is some Celestial bronze."

"Oh, that's easy," Nemesis said. "It's just over the rise. You'll find it with the sweethearts."

"Wait," Hazel said. "What sweethearts?"

"You'll see. Perhaps they will teach you a lesson, Hazel Levesque. Most heroes cannot escape their nature, even when given a second chance at life. Now, about your brother Nico, you don't have much time. Let's see... Oh, yes, after today, six more days. Then he dies, along with the entire city of Rome."

Hazel's eyes widened. "How—what—?"

"And as for you, child of fire and hammer." She turned to Leo. "Your worst hardships are yet to come. You will always be the outsider, the seventh wheel. You will not find a place among your brethren. Soon you will face a problem you cannot solve, though I could help you—for a price."

Leo realized fingers on his left hand were ablaze, and Hazel was staring at him in terror. He shoved his hand in his pocket to extinguish the flames. "Um, what sort of price are we talking about?"

The goddess shrugged. "One of my children recently traded an eye for the ability to make a real difference in the world."

Leo's stomach churned. "You... want an eye?"

"In your case, perhaps another sacrifice would do. But something just as painful. Here." She handed him a fortune cookie. "If you need an answer, break this. It will solve your problem."

Leo's hand trembled as he held the fortune cookie. "What problem?"

"You'll know when the time comes."

"No, thanks," Leo said firmly. But he slipped the cookie into his tool belt.

"Very few gods will be able to help you on the quest. Most are already incapacitated, and their confusion will only grow worse. One thing might bring unity to Olympus again—an old wrong finally avenged. Ah, that would be sweet indeed, the scales finally balanced! But it will not happen unless you accept my help."

"I suppose you won't tell us what you're talking about," Hazel muttered. "Or why my brother has only six days to live. Or why Rome is going to be destroyed."

Nemesis chuckled. "Oh, it's all tied together, Hazel Levesque. As for my offer, Leo Valdez, give it some thought. You're a good kid. A hard worker. We could do business. But I have detained you too long. You should visit the reflecting pool before the light fades. My poor cursed boy gets quite agitated when the darkness comes."

And like that, she was gone.

"Who is Aunt Rosa?" Hazel asked.

"Long story," Leo said. "She abandoned me after my mom died, gave me to foster care."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well..." Leo was anxious to change the subject. "What about you? What Nemesis said about your brother?"

"I was born a long time ago. Then I died during World War II."

"What?"

"Nico... he found me in the Underworld. He brought me back to the mortal world and convinced the Romans at Camp Jupiter to accept me. I owe him for my second chance at life. If Nemesis is right, and Nico's in danger... I have to help him."

"Sure," Leo said, his head spinning. "And what Nemesis said about him having six days to live, and Rome getting destroyed... any idea what she meant?"

"None," Hazel admitted. She climbed one of the largest boulders to get a better view. Leo tried to follow and lost his balance. Hazel caught his hand. She pulled him up and they found themselves atop the rock, holding hands, face-to-face.

"Um, thanks." He let go of her hand, but they were still standing so close, he could feel the warmth of her breath. She definitely didn't seem like a dead person.

"When we were talking to Nemesis," Hazel said uneasily, "your hands... I saw flames."

"Yeah," he said. "It's a Hephaestus power. Usually I can keep it under control."

"Oh." She put one hand protectively on her denim shirt and backed away.

Nemesis was right. He might be part of a group of seven, but he was still isolated. The seventh wheel.

"Leo?" Hazel asked gently as if reading his thoughts. "You can't take what Nemesis said to heart."

He frowned. "What if it's true?"

"She's the goddess of revenge," Hazel reminded him. "Maybe she's on our side, maybe not; but she exists to stir up resentment."

"We should keep going," he said. "I wonder what Nemesis meant about finishing before dark."

Hazel glanced at the sun, which was just touching the horizon. "And who is the cursed boy she mentioned?"

Below them, a voice said, "Cursed boy she mentioned."

At first, Leo saw no one. Then his eyes adjusted. He realized a young woman was standing only ten feet from the base of the boulder. Her wispy hair was somewhere between brown and blond and gray, so it blended with the dry grass. She wasn't invisible, exactly, but she was almost perfectly camouflaged until she moved.

"Hello," Hazel said. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" the girl answered. Her voice sounded weary, like she was tired of answering that question.

Hazel and Leo exchanged looks.

"Are you the cursed kid Nemesis mentioned?" Leo asked. "But you're a girl."

"You're a girl," said the girl.

"Excuse me?" Leo said.

"Excuse me," the girl said miserably.

"You're repeating..." Leo stopped. "Oh. Hold it. Hazel, wasn't there some myth about a girl who repeated everything—?"

"Echo," Hazel said.

"Echo," the girl agreed. She shifted, her dress changing with the landscape.

"I don't remember the myth," Leo admitted. "You were cursed to repeat the last thing you heard?"

"You heard," Echo said.

"Poor thing," Hazel said. "If I remember right, a goddess did this?"

"A goddess did this," Echo confirmed.

Leo scratched his head. "But wasn't that thousands of years... oh. You're one of the mortals who came back through the Doors of Death. I really wish we could stop running into dead people." He immediately regretted that. "Uh... sorry, Hazel. I didn't mean it that way."

"That way." Echo pointed toward the far shore of the island.

"You want to show us something?" Hazel asked. She climbed down the boulder, and Leo followed.

"So... you have to repeat everything?" he asked.

"Everything."

Leo couldn't help smiling. "That could be fun."

"Fun," she said unhappily.

"Blue elephants."

"Blue elephants."

"Kiss me, you fool."

"You fool."

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

"Leo," Hazel pleaded, "don't tease her."

"Don't tease her," Echo agreed.

"Okay, okay," Leo said. "So what were you pointing at? Do you need our help?"

"Help," Echo agreed emphatically. She gestured for them to follow and sprinted down the slope.

They found the problem—if you can call a mob of good-looking girls a problem. Echo led them down into a grassy meadow shaped like a blast crater, with a small pond in the middle. Gathered at the water's edge were several dozen nymphs. They were all crowded together in one spot, facing the pond and jostling for a better view.

"What are they looking at?" Leo wondered.

"Looking at," Echo sighed.

"One way to find out." Hazel marched forward and began nudging her way through the crowd. "Excuse us. Pardon me."

"Hey!" one nymph complained. "We were here first!"

"Yeah," another sniffed. "He won't be interested in you."

"Uh, demigod business," Leo said, trying to sound official. "Make room. Thanks."

The nymphs grumbled, but they parted to reveal a young man kneeling at the edge of the pond, gazing intently at the water. He was one super good-looking dude and he seemed fascinated with his own reflection.

Hazel inhaled sharply. "He's gorgeous." Around her, the nymphs squealed and clapped in agreement.

"I am," the young man murmured dreamily, his gaze still fixed on the water. "I am so gorgeous."

"He is sooooo hot!" said another girl.

"Narcissus?" Leo guessed.

"Narcissus," Echo agreed sadly.

"You had your chance, Echo!" said one nymph. "He dumped you four thousand years ago! You are so not good enough for him."

"For him," Echo said bitterly.

"Wait." Hazel clearly had trouble tearing her eyes away from the handsome guy, but she managed it. "What's going on here? Why did Echo bring us here?"

One nymph rolled her eyes. "Echo was a nymph like us, a long time ago, but she was a total chatterbox! Gossiping, blah, blah, blah, all the time."

"I know!" another nymph shrieked. "Like, who could stand that? Just the other day, I told Cleopeia—you know she lives in the boulder next to me?—I said: Stop gossiping or you'll end up like Echo."

"Totally!" said another. "As punishment for blabbing, Hera cursed Echo so she could only repeat things, which was fine with us. But then Echo fell in love with our gorgeous guy, Narcissus—as if he would ever notice her."

"As if!" said half a dozen others.

"Now she's got some weird idea he needs saving," said a nymph. "She should just go away."

"Go away," Echo growled back.

"I'm so glad Narcissus is alive again. He's like the best! And he's in my territory." The whole mob began arguing while Narcissus stared at the lake, ignoring them.

"Hold it!" Leo yelled. "Ladies, hold it! I need to ask Narcissus something." Leo knelt next to the handsome dude. "So, Narcissus. What's up?"

"Could you move?" Narcissus asked distractedly. "You're ruining the view."

Leo looked in the water. The metal reflecting Narcissus was a sheet of hammered Celestial bronze, roughly circular, about five feet in diameter. "Right, great view," Leo said. "Happy to move, but if you're not using it, could I just take that sheet of bronze?"

"No," Narcissus said. "I love him. He's so gorgeous."

"Man," Leo said to Narcissus. "You do realize that you're looking at yourself in the water, right?"

"I am so great," Narcissus sighed. He stretched out a hand longingly to touch the water, but held back. "No, I can't make ripples. That ruins the image. Wow—I am so great."

"Yeah," Leo muttered. "But if I took the bronze, you could still see yourself in the water. Or here..." He reached in his tool belt and pulled out a simple mirror the size of a monocle. "I'll trade you."

Narcissus took the mirror, reluctantly, and admired himself. "Even you carry a picture of me? I don't blame you. I am gorgeous. Thank you." He set the mirror down and returned his attention to the pond. "But I already have a much better image. The color flatters me, don't you think?"

"Oh, gods, yes!" a nymph screamed. "Marry me, Narcissus!"

"No, me!" another cried. "Would you sign my forehead?"

"No, sign my skin!"

"No, sign my boobs!"

"No, sign my—"

"Stop it!" Hazel snapped.

"Stop it," Echo agreed.

"You're all ridiculous," Hazel said. "He's so full of himself! How can you possibly like him?"

"Like him," Echo sighed, waving her hand in front of his face. Narcissus didn't even blink.

"I am so hot," Narcissus said.

"Narcissus, listen. Echo brought us here to help you. Didn't you, Echo?" said Hazel.

"Echo," said Echo.

"Who?" Narcissus said.

"The only girl who cares what happens to you, apparently," Hazel said. "Do you remember dying?"

Narcissus frowned. "I... no. That can't be right. I am much too important to die."

Leo stood. "It doesn't matter. The point is you're alive again, man. You have a second chance. That's what Nemesis was telling us. You can get up, and get on with your life. Echo is trying to save you. Or you can stay here and stare at yourself until you die again."

"Stay here!" all the nymphs screamed.

"Marry me before you die!" another squeaked.

Narcissus shook his head. "You just want my reflection. I don't blame you, but you can't have it. I belong to me."

Hazel sighed in exasperation. She glanced at the sun, which was sinking fast. "Leo, could we talk for a minute?" She led the way until they were out of earshot. "Nemesis was right," she said. "Some demigods can't change their nature. Narcissus is going to stay there until he dies again."

"No," Leo said.

"No," Echo agreed.

"We need that bronze. If we take it away, it might give Narcissus a reason to snap out of it. Echo could have a chance to save him."

"A chance to save him," Echo said gratefully.

The sun was just about down. Nemesis had mentioned that Narcissus got agitated after dark, probably because he couldn't see his reflection anymore. "Hazel," Leo said, "your power with precious metal... Can you just detect it, or can you actually summon it to you?"

"Sometimes I can summon it. I've never tried with a piece of Celestial bronze that big before. I might be able to draw it to me through the earth, but I'd have to be fairly close. It would take a lot of concentration, and it wouldn't be fast."

"Be fast," Echo warned.

Leo cursed. "Alright. We'll have to try something risky. Hazel, how about you try to summon the bronze from right here? Make it sink through the sand and tunnel over to you, then grab it and run for the ship."

"But Narcissus is looking at it all the time," she said.

"All the time," Echo echoed.

"That'll be my job," Leo said. "Echo and I will cause a distraction. Are you willing?"

"Willing," Echo said.

"Great," Leo said. "Now, let's hope we don't die."

* * *

Leo psyched himself up for an extreme makeover. The goggles weren't exactly sunglasses, but they'd have to do. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. He used some machine oil to grease back his hair.

"What in the world are you thinking?" Hazel asked.

"I try not to think," Leo admitted. "It interferes with being nuts. Just concentrate on moving that Celestial bronze. Echo, you ready?"

"Ready," she said.

Leo took a deep breath. He strutted back toward the pond, hoping he looked awesome. "Leo is the coolest!" he shouted.

"Leo is the coolest!" Echo shouted back.

"Yeah, baby, check me out!"

"Check me out!" Echo said.

"When I smile the girls go wild!"

"Wild!"

"Sweet and undefeated! That's me. Narcissus is weak!"

"Weak!"

The crowd of nymphs scattered in surprise. Leo shooed them away as if they were bothering him. "No autographs, girls. I know you want some Leo time, but I'm way too cool. You better just hang around that ugly dweeb Narcissus. He's lame!"

"Lame!" Echo said with enthusiasm.

The nymphs muttered angrily. "What are you talking about?" one demanded. "You're lame."

Leo adjusted his goggles and smiled. He flexed his biceps, though he didn't have much to flex. "You know how ugly Narcissus is? He's so ugly, when he was born his mama thought he was a backward centaur—with a horse butt for a face."

Some of the nymphs gasped. Narcissus frowned, as though he was vaguely aware of Leo.

"You know why his bow has cobwebs?" Leo continued. "He uses it to hunt for dates, but he can't find one!"

One of the nymphs laughed. The others quickly elbowed her into silence. Narcissus turned and scowled at Leo. "Who are you?"

"I'm the most beautiful man in the world! I'm Leo Valdez, person of the week in every Greek opinion poll. Narcissus is a loser! He's so lame, when you look up lame on Wikipedia, it's got a picture of Narcissus—only the picture's so ugly, no one ever checks it out."

Narcissus knit his handsome eyebrows. His face was turning from bronze to salmon pink. For the moment, he'd totally forgotten about the pond, and Leo could see the sheet of bronze sinking into the sand. "What are you talking about?" Narcissus demanded. "I am amazing. Everyone knows this."

"Amazing at pure suck," Leo said. "If I was as suck as you, I'd drown myself. Oh wait, you already did that."

Another nymph giggled. Then another. Narcissus growled, which did make him look a little less handsome.

"That's right!" continued Leo. "Team Leo for the win! He comes, he sees, he conquers!"

"He is funny," a nymph ventured.

"I am so awesome!" Leo bellowed.

"So awesome!" Echo yelled back.

"And cute, in a scrawny way," another nymph said.

"Scrawny?" Leo asked. "Baby, I invented scrawny. Scrawny is the new sizzling hot. And I GOT the scrawny. Narcissus? He's such a loser even the Underworld didn't want him. He couldn't get the ghost girls to date him."

"Eww," said a nymph.

"Eww!" Echo agreed.

"Stop!" Narcissus got to his feet. "This is not right! This person is obviously not awesome, so he must be..." He struggled for the right words. "He must be tricking us." Realization dawned on his face. He turned back to the pond. "The bronze mirror is gone! My reflection! Give me back to me!"

"Team Leo!" one of the nymphs squeaked. But the others returned their attention to Narcissus.

"I'm the beautiful one!" Narcissus insisted. "He's stolen my mirror!"

The girls gasped. One pointed. "There!"

Hazel was at the top of the crater, running away as fast as she could while lugging a large sheet of bronze.

"Get it back!" cried a nymph.

Probably against her will, Echo muttered, "Get it back."

"Yes!" Narcissus unslung his bow and grabbed an arrow from his dusty quiver. "The first one who gets that bronze, I will like you almost as much as I like me. I might even kiss you, right after I kiss my reflection!"

"Oh my gods!" the nymphs screamed.

"And kill those demigods!" Narcissus added, glaring very handsomely at Leo. "They are not as cool as me!"

* * *

Leo could run pretty fast when someone was trying to kill him. Sadly, he'd had a lot of practice. He overtook Hazel, which was easy, since she was struggling with fifty pounds of Celestial bronze. He took one side of the metal plate and helped her.

"Call Arion!" he gasped.

"Already did!" Hazel said.

They ran for the beach. They made it to the edge of the water and could see the Argo II, but there was no way to get there. It was much too far to swim.

Leo turned. The mob was coming over the dunes, Narcissus in the lead, holding his bow like a band major's baton. "Oh, man," Leo muttered, summoning fire in his free hand. "Straight-up fighting isn't my thing."

"Hold the Celestial bronze." Hazel drew her sword. "Get behind me!"

"Get behind me!" Echo repeated. The camouflaged girl was racing ahead of the mob now. She stopped in front of Leo and turned, spreading her arms as if she meant to personally shield him.

"Echo? You're one brave nymph."

"Brave nymph?" Her tone made it a question.

"I'm proud to have you on Team Leo," he said. "If we survive this, you should forget Narcissus."

"Forget Narcissus?" she said uncertainly.

"You're way too good for him."

The nymphs surrounded them in a semicircle.

"Trickery!" Narcissus said. "They don't love me, girls! We all love me, don't we?"

"Yes!" the girls screamed.

"Kill them!" Narcissus ordered.

Arion raced out of nowhere, circling the mob so quickly he created a sandstorm, showering the nymphs in white lime, spraying their eyes.

"I love this horse!" Leo said.

The nymphs collapsed, coughing and gagging. Narcissus stumbled around blindly, swinging his bow like he was trying to hit a _piñata_.

Hazel climbed into the saddle, hoisted up the bronze, and offered Leo a hand.

"We can't leave Echo!" Leo said.

"Leave Echo," the nymph repeated with a smile.

"Why?" Leo asked. "You don't think you can still save Narcissus..."

"Save Narcissus," she said confidently. And even though it was only an echo, Leo could tell that she meant it. She was determined to save the guy she loved—even if he was a completely hopeless moron.

"Leo, come on!" Hazel called.

"Yeah," he said, his throat dry. "Yeah, okay."

He climbed up behind Hazel. Arion took off across the water, the nymphs screaming behind them, and Narcissus shouting, "Bring me back! Bring me back!"

As Arion raced toward the Argo II, Leo remembered what Nemesis had said: _Perhaps they'll teach you a lesson._

Echo—invisible to her brethren, cursed to love someone who didn't care for her. A seventh wheel. Leo vowed never to forget her. She deserved at least one person who saw her and knew how good she was.


	39. Ghostbuster

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part III — _See the line where the sky meets the sea, it calls me, and no one knows how far it goes._

* * *

Piper gazed at her bronze blade. She saw a crowd of Roman demigods gathered in the forum. Octavian, was speaking to the mob, shaking his fist. Reyna, the praetor, stood to one side, her face tight with suppressed emotion. Piper had admired the way Reyna kept her feelings in check when she saw Lena. It was obvious she knew about Piper and her, yet Reyna had stayed polite and in control. She'd put her camp's needs ahead of her emotions. She'd almost made Piper feel guilty about being with Lena.

The scene in her blade shifted. There was a rapid series of images—Lena riding into battle on horseback, her eyes gold instead of blue; Piper saw herself with Lena and Andy, drowning in a dark circular chamber.

She shut her eyes. She didn't want to see this.

Then she heard her. "Hey," Lena croaked.

Piper was so startled she dropped the knife. "You're awake!"

"Don't sound so surprised." Lena touched her bandaged head and frowned. "What—what happened? I remember the explosions, and—"

"You remember who I am?"

Lena tried to laugh, but it turned into a painful wince. "Last I checked, you were my awesome girlfriend Piper. Unless something has changed since I was out?"

Piper was so relieved she almost sobbed. She helped Lena sit up and gave her some nectar to sip while she brought her up to speed. Moments later, Leo and Hazel stumbled in the doorway, carrying a large sheet of hammered bronze between them.

"Gods of Olympus." Piper stared at Leo. "What happened to you?"

"Long story," he said. "Others back?"

"Not yet," Piper said.

Leo cursed. Then he noticed Lena sitting up, and his face brightened. "Hey, girl! Glad you're better. I'll be in the engine room." He ran off with the sheet of bronze, leaving Hazel in the doorway.

"We met Narcissus," Hazel explained. "Also Nemesis, the revenge goddess."

Lena sighed. "I miss all the fun."

On the deck above, something went THUMP, as if a heavy creature had landed. Anthony and Andy came running down the hall. They were covered in a patch of black sticky stuff. Frank stumbled up behind them.

"Ran into some tar monsters," Anthony said. "Hey, Lena, glad you're awake. Hazel, where's Leo?"

Hazel pointed down. "Engine room."

Suddenly the entire ship listed to port. The demigods stumbled.

"Uh, what was that?" Andy demanded.

"Oh..." Hazel looked embarrassed. "We may have angered the nymphs who live in this lake. Like… all of them."

"Great." Andy mumbled. "Oh, I'll show these water spirits."

Everyone went about their business, except Hazel who locked herself in the bathroom to puke freely. Lena and Piper stayed below as the ship rocked back and forth. Waves crashed against the hull as Andy's shouts came from above deck. After what seemed like hours, the engine began to hum. The oars creaked and the ship lift into the air.

The rocking and shaking stopped. The ship became quiet except for the drone of machinery. After everyone had cleaned up, they gathered below for dinner. It was the first time they'd all sat down together—just the seven of them.

The tension was like an electrical storm brewing. In an awkward moment, Lena and Andy tried to sit in the same chair at the head of the table. Sparks literally flew from Lena's hands. After a brief silent standoff, Anthony pushed them both aside and took the chair for himself.

"So where to now?" Leo asked with a mouthful of pizza. "I did a quick repair job to get us out of the lake, but there's still a lot of damage. We should really put down again and fix things right before we head across the Atlantic."

"We need to put some distance between us and Camp Jupiter," Andy said. "Frank spotted some eagles over Salt Lake City. We figure the Romans aren't far behind us."

"I don't suppose we should go back and try to reason with them?" said Piper. "Maybe—maybe I didn't try hard enough with the charmspeak."

Lena took her hand. "It wasn't your fault, Pipes. Or Leo's," she added quickly. "Whatever happened, it was Gaea's doing, to drive the two camps apart."

"Maybe if we could explain that—"

"With no proof?" Anthony asked. "And no idea what really happened? I appreciate what you're saying, Piper. I don't want the Romans on our bad side, but until we understand what Gaea's up to, going back is suicide."

"He's right," Hazel said. "Reyna might listen, but Octavian won't. The Romans have honor to think about. They've been attacked. They'll shoot first and ask questions post hac."

"You're right," Piper decided. "We have to keep going. Not just because of the Romans. We have to hurry."

Hazel nodded. "Nemesis said we have only six days until Nico dies and Rome is destroyed."

Lena frowned. "You mean Rome Rome, not New Rome?"

"I think. But if so, that's not much time."

"Why six days?" Andy wondered. "And how are they going to destroy Rome?"

No one answered.

"There's more," Piper said. "I've been seeing some things in my knife."

Frank froze with a forkful of spaghetti halfway to his mouth. "Things such as...?"

"They don't really make sense," Piper said, "just garbled images, but I saw two giants, dressed alike. Maybe twins."

"Twins, like in Ella's prophecy," Anthony said. "If we could figure out those lines, it might help."

" _'Wisdom's child walks alone,'_ " Andy said. " _'The Mark of Athena burns through Rome._ ' That's got to mean you," she told Anthony. "Juno told me... well, she said you had a hard task ahead of you in Rome. She said she doubted you could do it. But I know she's wrong. She's just mean. Evil. And annoying. And—"

Anthony took a long breath. "Reyna was about to tell me something right before the ship fired on us. She said there was an old legend among the Roman praetors—something that had to do with Athena. She said it might be the reason Greeks and Romans could never get along."

Leo and Hazel exchanged nervous looks. "Nemesis mentioned something similar," Leo said. "She talked about an old score that had to be settled—"

"The one thing that might bring the gods' two natures into harmony," Hazel recalled. "'An old wrong finally avenged.'"

"You ever hear a legend like that?" Andy asked Lena.

"I... uh, I'm not sure," she said. "I'll give it some thought."

Andy narrowed her eyes. "You're not sure?"

Lena didn't respond.

Hazel broke the silence. "What about the other lines? _'Twins snuff out the angel's breath, who holds the key to endless death.'_ "

"' _Giants' bane stands gold and pale,'_ " Frank added, " _'Won through pain from a woven jail._ '"

"Giants' bane," Leo said. "Anything that's a giants' bane is good for us, right? That's probably what we need to find. If it can help the gods get their schizophrenic act together, that's good."

Andy nodded. "We can't kill the giants without the help of the gods."

Lena turned to Frank and Hazel. "I thought you guys killed that one giant in Alaska without a god's help, just the two of you."

"Alcyoneus was a special case," Frank said. "He was only immortal in the territory where he was reborn—Alaska. But not in Canada. I wish I could kill all the giants by dragging them across the border from Alaska into Canada, but..." he shrugged. "Andy's right, we'll need the gods."

"So..." Leo pushed his chair away from the table. "First things first, I guess. We'll have to put down in the morning to finish repairs."

"Someplace close to a city," Anthony suggested, "in case we need supplies. But somewhere out of the way, so the Romans will have trouble finding us. Any ideas?"

No one spoke.

"Well," Piper ventured, "how do you guys feel about Kansas?"

Again, silence was the answer.

* * *

Piper had trouble falling asleep. She stared at the bronze beams on the ceiling and rested her head on Lena's chest. Finally her eyelids got heavy, and she drifted off. It seemed like only a few seconds had passed before she woke to the breakfast bell.

"Yo, Piper, Lena!" Leo knocked on their door. "We're landing!"

"Landing?" She sat up groggily.

Leo opened her door and poked his head in. "You guys decent? Not doing anything... compromising?"

"Leo!" she scolded.

"Kidding." He grinned. "Anyway, we're setting down a few miles outside Topeka, as requested."

The morning air smelled of irrigation, warm plants, and fertilized earth.

Andy was the first to notice her. She smiled in greeting, which for some reason surprised Piper. Piper was happy to see Anthony with a sparkle in his eyes. For months, he had been tormenting himself, his every waking moment consumed with the search for Andy. Now, despite the dangerous quest they were facing, at least they were together.

"So!" Anthony said. "Here we are. What's the plan?"

"I want to check out the highway," Piper said. "Find the sign that says Topeka 32."

"We shouldn't be far," Leo said. "Festus and I calculated the landing as best we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?"

"I saw a man in purple with a goblet," she said. "He had vines in his hat. I think we need to find him."

"Purple?" Lena asked. "Sounds like Bacchus."

"Dionysus," Andy muttered. "If we came all the way to Kansas to see Mr. D, I swear—"

"Bacchus isn't so bad," Lena said. "I don't like his followers much... But the god himself is okay. I did him a favor once up in the wine country."

Andy looked appalled. "Whatever, dude. Maybe he's better on the Roman side. But why would he be hanging around in Kansas? Didn't Zeus order the gods to cease all contact with mortals?"

Frank grunted. "The gods haven't been very good at following that order," he noted. "Besides, if the gods have gone schizophrenic like Hazel said—"

"And Leo said," added Leo.

Frank scowled at him. "Then who knows what's going on with the Olympians? Could be some pretty bad stuff out there."

"Sounds dangerous!" Leo agreed cheerfully. "Well, you guys have fun. I've got to finish repairs on the hull. And, uh, Anthony—I could really use your help. You're the only other person who even sort of understands engineering."

Anthony looked apologetically at Andy. "He's right. I should stay and help."

"I'll come back," she told him. "Fish's honor."

Anthony smiled. "Clown fish, you mean."

They were so easy together, it made Piper's heart ache.

Lena was sometimes so distant, Piper wondered if she would ever be able to break through the barrier. Seeing Reyna in person, hadn't helped. Neither did the fact that Lena had chosen to wear a purple shirt today.

Frank slid his bow off his shoulder and propped it against the rail. "I think I should turn into a crow or something and fly around, keep an eye out for Roman eagles."

"Why a crow?" Leo asked. "Man, if you can turn into a dragon, why don't you just turn into a dragon every time? That's the coolest."

"That's like asking why you don't bench-press your maximum weight every time you lift. Because it's hard, and you'd hurt yourself. Turning into a dragon isn't easy."

"Oh." Leo nodded. "I wouldn't know. I don't lift weights."

"Yeah. Well, maybe you should consider it, Mr.—"

Hazel stepped between them. "I'll help you, Frank," she said, shooting Leo an evil look. "I can summon Arion and scout around below."

"Sure," Frank said, still glaring at Leo. "Yeah, thanks."

Hazel turned to Andy. "Just be careful when you go out there. Lots of fields, lots of crops. Could be _karpoi_ on the loose."

" _Karpoi_?" Piper asked.

"Grain spirits," Hazel said. "You don't want to meet them."

"Okay. That leaves three of us to check on the mile marker," Andy said. "Me, Lena and Piper. I'm not psyched about seeing Mr. D again. That guy is a pain. But, Lena, if you're on better terms with him—"

"Yeah," Lena said. "If we find him, I'll talk to him. Piper, it's your vision. You should take the lead."

Piper shivered. "Of course," she said, trying to sound upbeat. "Let's find the highway."

* * *

After trudging half a mile through hot fields, getting bitten by mosquitoes and whacked in the face with scratchy sunflowers, they finally reached the road. However, they were still forty miles from the first Topeka exit.

"Correct my math," Andy said, "but doesn't that mean we have eight miles to walk?"

"Hmm..." Lena snapped her fingers. "I can call a friend for a ride."

Andy raised her eyebrows. "Oh, yeah? Me too. Let's see whose friend gets here first."

Lena whistled. She'd succeeded in summoning Tempest only three times since they'd met the storm spirit at the Wolf House last winter. Andy simply closed her eyes and concentrated.

Piper hadn't studied her up close before. Andy was slender and small—tomboy and definitely a troublemaker. Piper could see why Anthony liked her, and why Andy needed Anthony in her life. Someone needed to keep her grounded.

Thunder crackled in the clear sky. Lena smiled. "Soon."

"Too late." Andy pointed east, where a black winged shape was spiraling toward them.

"A black pegasus?" Piper said. "Never seen one like that."

The winged stallion trotted over to Andy and turned his head inquisitively toward Piper and Lena.

"Blackjack," Andy said, "this is Piper and Lena. They're friends." The horse nickered. "Uh, maybe later," Andy told him.

"You can speak horse," Piper nodded. "What does Blackjack want?"

"Donuts," Andy said. "Always donuts. He can carry all three of us if—"

Suddenly the air turned cold. About fifty yards away, a miniature cyclone touched down on the road next to Lena and took the form of a horse.

"Tempest," she said, grinning broadly. "Long time, my friend." The storm spirit reared and whinnied. Blackjack backed up skittishly.

"Easy, boy," Andy said. "He's a friend too." She gave Lena an impressed look. "Nice ride, Grace."

Lena shrugged. "He's a free spirit, literally, but once in a while he agrees to help me."

Andy and Lena climbed on their respective horses. Piper accepted Lena's hand and climbed along.

Tempest raced down the road with Blackjack soaring overhead. In no time, they arrived at the thirty-two-mile marker. Blackjack landed and whinnied.

"You're right," Andy said. "No sign of the wine dude."

"I beg your pardon?" said a voice from the fields. Tempest turned so quickly, Piper almost fell off. "Did someone just call me the wine dude?" he asked in a lazy drawl. "It's Bacchus, please. Or Mr. Bacchus. Or Lord Bacchus. Or, sometimes, Oh-My-Gods-Please-Don't-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus."

Andy urged Blackjack forward. "You look different," she told the god. "Skinnier. Your hair is longer. And your shirt isn't so loud."

The wine god squinted up at her. "What in blazes are you talking about? Who are you, and where is Ceres?"

"What series?"

"I think he means Ceres," Lena said. "The goddess of agriculture. You'd call her Demeter." She nodded respectfully to the god. "Lord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that missing leopard in Sonoma."

Bacchus scratched his stubbly chin. "Ah, yes. Lena Dunham."

"Grace."

"Whatever," the god said. "Did Ceres send you, then?"

"No, Lord Bacchus. Were you expecting to meet her here?"

The god snorted. "Well, I didn't come to Kansas to party, did I? Ceres asked me here for a council of war. What with Gaea rising, the crops are withering. Droughts are spreading. The _karpoi_ are in revolt. Even my grapes aren't safe. Ceres wanted a united front in the plant war."

"The plant war," Andy said. "You're going to arm all the little grapes with tiny assault rifles?"

The god narrowed his eyes. "Have we met?"

"At Camp Half-Blood. I know you as Mr. D."

"Agh!" Bacchus winced and pressed his hands to his temples. For a moment, his image flickered. "Stop that! Stop thinking about me in Greek!"

Andy blinked. "Uh, but—"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay focused? Splitting headaches all the time! I never know what I'm doing or where I'm going! Constantly grumpy!"

"That's just who you are," Andy said.

The god's nostrils flared. "If we know each other from that other camp, it's a wonder I haven't already turned you into a dolphin."

"It was discussed. I think you were just too lazy to do it."

Piper had been watching with horrified fascination. Andy was not making things better, and Anthony wasn't around to rein her in.

"Lord Bacchus!" she interrupted. "Sorry to trouble you, my lord, but actually we came here to get your advice. Please, we need your wisdom."

The god frowned. "You're well-spoken, girl. Advice, eh? Very well. I would avoid karaoke. Really, theme parties in general are—"

"Not about parties," Piper interrupted. "Although that's incredibly useful advice, Lord Bacchus. We were hoping you'd help us on our quest." She described the vision reflected in her knife, where Bacchus offered her a silver goblet.

"Silver goblet?" The god didn't sound very excited. "I have nothing for you to drink. Jupiter has put me under strict orders to avoid giving wine to minors. Bothersome, but there you have it. As for the giants, I know them well. I fought in the first Giant War, you know."

"You can fight?" Andy asked.

The god snarled. "Indeed. I was a demigod myself in the first Giant War, you know. The son of Jupiter! Of course that was long before I invented wine and became an immortal. I fought side by side with the gods and some other demigod—Harry Cleese, I think."

"Heracles?" Piper suggested politely.

"Whatever. Anyway, I killed the giant Ephialtes and his brother Otis. Horrible boors, those two. Pinecone in the face for both of them!"

Piper held her breath. "Lord Bacchus," she said, trying to control the nervousness in her voice. "Those two giants, Ephialtes and Otis—would they happen to be twins?"

"Yes, twins. That's right."

"That's why we're here. You're part of our quest!"

Bacchus frowned. "I'm sorry, my girl. I'm not a demigod anymore. I don't do quests."

"But giants can only be killed by heroes and gods working together," she insisted. "You're a god now, and the two giants we have to fight are Ephialtes and Otis. I think—I think they're waiting for us in Rome. They're going to destroy the city somehow. The silver goblet I saw in my vision—maybe it's meant as a symbol for your help. You have to help us kill the giants!"

Bacchus glared at her, and Piper realized she'd chosen her words poorly.

"My girl," he said coldly, "I don't have to do anything. Besides, I only help those who give me proper tribute, which no one has managed to do in many, many centuries."

Blackjack whinnied uneasily.

"What kind of tribute?" Andy translated.

Bacchus waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing you could handle, insolent Greek. But I will give you some free advice, since this girl does have some manners. Seek out Gaea's son, Phorcys. He always hated his mother, not that I can blame him. He didn't have much use for his siblings the twins, either. You'll find him in the city they named after that heroine—Atalanta."

Piper hesitated. "You mean Atlanta?"

"That's the one."

"But this Phorcys," Lena said. "Is he a giant? A Titan?"

Bacchus laughed. "Neither. Seek out the salt water."

"Salt water..." Andy said. "In Atlanta?"

"Yes," Bacchus said. "Are you hard of hearing? If anyone can give you insight on Gaea and the twins, it's Phorcys. Just watch out for him."

"What do you mean?" Lena asked.

The god glanced at the sun, which had climbed almost to high noon. "It's unlike Ceres to be late, unless she sensed something dangerous in this area. Or..." The god's face suddenly went slack. "Or a trap. Well, I must be going! And if I were you, I'd do the same!"

"Lord Bacchus, wait!" Lena protested.

The god shimmered and disappeared.

"Maybe he is right," Piper said. "We should leave—"

Too late, said a sleepy voice. Andy and Lena drew their swords. Piper stood on the road between them, frozen with fear. The power of Gaea was suddenly everywhere. Welcome to my party, Gaea murmured. I'm glad you're here. I need the blood of two demigods.

"Gaea!" Lena yelled. "Stop hiding in the wheat. Show yourself!"

Suddenly Lena gasped. She sat up straight in her saddle.

"Lena?" Piper said. "What's wrong—?"

Lena looked down at her, her expression deadly calm. Her eyes were no longer blue. They glowed solid gold.

"Andy, help!" Piper stumbled back from Tempest.

But Andy raised her sword and pointed the tip toward Lena. "Both will die," Andy said, but the voice wasn't hers.

"No!" Piper yelled.

Andy and Lena charged at each other, their weapons ready. They crossed swords, gold against bronze. Sparks flew. Their blades blurred—strike and parry—and the pavement trembled. The horses pulled away from each other—Tempest thundering in protest, Blackjack flapping his wings.

"Stop it!" Piper yelled.

For a moment, Lena heeded her voice. Her golden eyes turned toward her, and Andy charged, slamming into her. The impact was enough to knock Lena off her mount. The spirit horse dissipated into vapor.

"Andy!" Piper yelled. "Lena's your friend. Drop your weapon!"

Andy's sword arm dipped. Lena got to her feet and roared. A bolt of lightning arced out of the clear blue sky. It ricocheted off her gladius and blasted Andy off her horse. Lena charged at Andy, who was now on her back.

"No!" Piper screamed. "Lena, stop!"

She froze, her sword six inches from Andy's face. Lena turned, "I cannot stop. We are the eidolons. We will live again."

"Eidolons...?" Piper's mind raced. "You're—you're some sort of ghost?"

"She must die." Lena turned her attention back to Andy, but Andy had recovered more than either of them realized. She swept out her leg and knocked Lena off her feet. Lena's head hit the asphalt with a nauseating conk.

Andy rose.

"Stop it!" Piper screamed again, but there was no charmspeak in her voice. She was shouting in sheer desperation.

Andy raised Riptide over Lena's chest. Whatever was controlling her had all of Andy's skill.

"Eidolon, stop," said Piper. Andy froze. "Face me," Piper ordered.

The daughter of the sea god turned. "This one will die," she said.

"You're a spirit from the Underworld," Piper guessed. "You're possessing Andy Jackson. Is that it?"

Andy sneered. "I will live again in this body. The Earth Mother has promised. I will go where I please, control whom I wish."

A wave of cold washed over Piper. "Leo—that's what happened to Leo. He was being controlled by an eidolon."

"Too late you realize. You can trust no one. You cannot stop me. I will kill Lena Grace." Behind her, Blackjack reared and brought his hoof down on Andy's head. Andy crumpled to the pavement next to Lena.

"Oh, gods!" Piper ran to them. "Blackjack, you didn't kill her, did you?"

The pegasus snorted. Piper checked on Lena. She was breathing steadily, but two knocks on the skull in two days couldn't have been good for her. Then she examined Andy's head.

"We have to get them both back to the ship," she told Blackjack.

The pegasus bobbed his head in agreement. He knelt to the ground, so that Piper could drape Andy and Lena over his back.

* * *

The others were a little surprised when Piper came back on a pegasus with two unconscious demigods. While Frank and Hazel tended to Blackjack, Anthony and Leo helped get Piper and Lena and Andy to the sickbay.

"Leo," Piper said, "are we ready to sail?"

"Yeah, but—"

"Set course for Atlanta. I'll explain later."

"But—okay." He hurried off.

Anthony didn't argue with Piper; he was too busy examining the horseshoe-shaped dent on the back of Andy's head. "What hit her?" he demanded.

"Blackjack," Piper said.

"What?"

Piper tried to explain. A while later, they both groaned and opened their eyes. Within a few minutes, Lena and Andy were sitting up in their berths and able to talk in complete sentences. Both had fuzzy memories of what had happened. When Piper described their duel on the highway, Lena winced.

"Knocked out twice in two days," she muttered. "Some demigod." She glanced sheepishly at Andy. "Sorry. I didn't mean to blast you."

Andy's shirt was peppered with burn holes. "Thalia used to do that. Still not cool."

"Yeah, I could have killed you."

"Or I could have killed you," Andy argued.

Lena shrugged. "If there'd been an ocean in Kansas, maybe."

"I don't need an ocean—"

"Enough," Anthony interrupted, "I'm sure you both would've been wonderful at killing each other. But right now, you need some rest."

"Food first," Andy said. "Please? And we really need to talk. Bacchus said some things that don't—"

"Bacchus?" Anthony raised his hand. "Okay, fine. We need to talk. Mess hall. Ten minutes. I'll tell the others. And Andy," he gave her the once-over. "You should change. You're looking inadequate."

Piper stiffened a laugh.

"I'll show you what's adequate," Andy muttered. "Find me a shirt then, will you."

* * *

They gathered around the dining table, and Piper explained what had happened.

"Of course!" Hazel slapped the table, which startled Frank so much, he dropped his burrito. "That's what happened to Leo, too."

"So it wasn't my fault." Leo exhaled. "I didn't start World War III. I just got possessed by an evil spirit. That's a relief!"

"But the Romans don't know that," Anthony said. "And why would they take our word for it?"

"You're right." Lena leaned forward. "We should just keep going. Once we're over the Atlantic, we'll be safe—at least from the legion. The ancient lands are much too dangerous. Roman demigods have been forbidden to go there for generations. Even Octavian couldn't get around that rule. After we get there, we'll be outlaws as well as traitors. If we get across the Atlantic, they'll give up on chasing us. They'll assume that we'll die in the Mediterranean—the Mare Nostrum."

Andy pointed her pizza slice at Lena. "You, girl, are a ray of sunshine."

Lena didn't argue. The other demigods stared at their plates, except for Andy, who continued to enjoy her pizza. Where she put all that food, Piper didn't know.

"So let's plan ahead," Andy suggested, "and make sure we don't die. Mr. D—Bacchus—do I have to call him Mr. B now? Anyway, he mentioned the twins in Ella's prophecy. Two giants. Otis and, uh, something with an F?"

"Ephialtes," Lena said.

"Not with an F, then."

"Twin giants, like Piper saw in her blade..." Anthony mumbled. "I remember a story about twin giants. They tried to reach Mount Olympus by piling up a bunch of mountains."

"I don't think we should count on Bacchus help this time," said Andy. "He wanted a tribute, and he made it pretty clear it would be a tribute we couldn't handle."

Silence fell around the table.

"She wants two of us," Piper murmured. Everyone turned to look at her. "Today on the highway, I think she needed you two to kill each other—the blood of two demigods."

Leo whistled softly. "Yeah... remember Khione? She talked about spilling Lena's blood, how it would taint the place for generations. Maybe demigod blood has some kind of power."

"Oh—" Andy set down her third pizza slice. She looked across the table at Frank and Hazel. "You guys remember Polybotes?"

"The giant who invaded Camp Jupiter," Hazel said. "The anti-Poseidon you whacked in the head with a Terminus statue. Yes, I think I remember."

"I had a dream," Andy said, "when we were flying to Alaska. Polybotes was talking to the gorgons, and he said—he said my blood would water the stones of Mount Olympus and wake Earth Mother."

"You think the giants would use our blood," Piper said, "the blood of two of us—"

"I don't know," Andy said.

"But how do we figure it out?" Hazel asked.

Anthony pressed his hands against the edge of the table. "Piper, you told Leo to set our course for Atlanta."

"Right," Piper said. "Bacchus told us we should seek out—what was his name?"

"Phorcys," Andy said.

Anthony looked surprised. "You remembered a name."

"I remember names. I know stuff," she looked around daring them to argue.

Anthony smiled. "Okay. You know him?"

Andy shrugged. "Phorcys is an old sea god from before my dad's time. Never met him, but supposedly he's a son of Gaea. See? I'm not stupid. I can drown you all in my smartnesses."

"That's not a word," said Anthony.

"Whatever."

"Well, it's getting late," said Anthony. "We should all get some sleep."

"Wait," Piper said. Once more, everyone looked at her. "The eidolons—the possessing spirits. They're still here, in this room." She had a gut sense they were still present, simply because no one had told them to go away.

Hazel exhaled. "Piper is right."

"How can you be sure?" Anthony asked.

"I've met eidolons," Hazel said. "In the Underworld, when I was, you know, dead."

"So..." Frank said. "You think these things are lurking on the ship, or—"

"Possibly lurking inside some of us," Piper said. "We don't know."

Lena clenched her fist. "If that's true—"

"We have to take steps," Piper said. "I think I can do this."

"Do what?" Andy asked.

"Just listen, okay?" Piper took a deep breath. "Everybody listen." Piper met their eyes, one person at a time. "Eidolons," she said, using her charmspeak, "raise your hands."

There was tense silence.

Leo laughed nervously. "Did you really think that was going to—?" His voice died. His face went slack. He raised his hand.

Lena and Andy did the same. Their eyes had turned glassy and gold. Hazel caught her breath. Next to Leo, Frank scrambled out of his chair and put his back against the wall.

"Oh, gods." Anthony looked at Piper. "Can you cure them?"

Piper focused on Leo because he was the least intimidating. "Are there more of you on this ship?" she asked.

"No," Leo said in a hollow voice. "The Earth Mother sent three. The strongest, the best. We will live again."

"Not here, you won't," Piper growled. "All three of you, listen carefully."

Lena and Andy turned toward her.

"You will leave those bodies," she commanded.

"No," Andy said.

Leo let out a soft hiss. "We must live."

Frank fumbled for his bow. "Mars Almighty, that's creepy! Get out of here, spirits! Leave our friends alone!"

Leo turned toward him. "You cannot command us, child of justice and war. Your own life is fragile. Your soul could burn at any moment."

Frank staggered like he'd been punched in the gut. Lena drew her sword.

"Stop!" Piper ordered, but her voice quavered.

"Listen to Piper." Hazel pointed at Lena's sword. The gold blade seemed to grow heavy in her hand. It clunked to the table and Lena sank back into her chair.

Andy growled. "Daughter of Pluto, you may control gems and metals. You do not control the dead."

Anthony reached toward her as if to restrain her, but Hazel waved him off. "Listen, eidolons," Hazel said sternly, "you do not belong here. I may not command you, but Piper does. Obey her."

Piper mustered all her courage. "You will leave those bodies," she repeated, even more forcefully.

Lena's face tightened. Her forehead beaded with sweat. "We—we will leave these bodies."

"You will vow on the River Styx never to return to this ship," Piper continued, "and never to possess any member of this crew." Leo and Andy both hissed in protest. "You will promise on the River Styx," Piper insisted.

A moment of tension—then all three eidolons spoke in unison: "We promise on the River Styx."

"You are dead," Piper said.

"We are dead," they agreed.

"Now, leave."

All three slumped forward. Anthony caught Andy, Piper and Hazel caught Lena. Leo fell toward Frank, who made no attempt to intercept him. Leo hit the floor. "Ow!" he groaned.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked.

Leo pulled himself up. "Did it work?"

"It worked," Piper said, feeling pretty sure she was right. "I don't think they'll be back."

Lena blinked. "Does that mean I can stop getting head injuries now?"

Piper laughed, exhaling all her nervousness. "Come on, Lightning Girl. Let's get you some fresh air."

* * *

Piper and Lena walked back and forth along the deck. Leo stood at the helm, conferring with Festus through the intercom. The other demigods were settling in for the night.

"Thanks, Pipes," Lena said. "You saved me again." She put her arm around her waist. Piper wanted to kiss her, but something held her back.

"I don't know if Andy will trust me anymore," Piper said. "Not after I let her horse knock her out."

Lena laughed. "Don't worry about that. Andy's nice and all, but I get the feeling she needs a knock on the head every once in a while. Don't be so hard on yourself. You saved us both."

"But if two of our crew really have to die—"

"I don't accept that. We're going to stop Gaea. All seven of us are going to come back alive. I promise you."

"The legend that Anthony mentioned," Piper said, "about the Mark of Athena—why didn't you want to talk about it?"

Lena lowered her head like she'd been expecting the question. "Pipes, I don't know what's true and what's not. The story goes that the Romans stole something important from the Greeks, back in ancient times, when the Romans conquered the Greeks' cities."

"What did they steal?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure anyone in the legion has ever known. But according to the story, this thing was taken away to Rome and hidden there. The children of Athena, Greek demigods, have hated us ever since. They've always stirred up their brethren against the Romans. Like I said, I don't know how much of that is true—"

"But why not just tell Anthony?" Piper asked. "He's not going to suddenly hate you."

"I hope not. But the legend says that the children of Athena have been searching for this thing for millennia. Every generation, a few are chosen by the goddess to find it. Apparently, they're led to Rome by some sign—the Mark of Athena."

"If Anthony is one of those searchers, we should help him."

Lena hesitated. "Maybe. When we get closer to Rome, I'll tell him what little I know. Honest. But the story, at least the way I heard it—it claims that if the Greeks ever found what was stolen, they'd never forgive us. They'd destroy the legion and Rome, once and for all. After what Nemesis told Leo, about Rome's being destroyed five days from now..."

Piper couldn't imagine anything that would make Anthony suddenly turn vengeful. Then she remembered what had been bothering her. "I was so afraid you'd go back to Camp Jupiter."

Lena looked surprised. "That would never happen. Not unless you came with me. I promise."

And she sealed that promise with a kiss.


	40. Cap Salt Water

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part IV — _But you can't step in the same river twice.; the water is always changing, always flowing._

* * *

Andy had terrible nightmares, but none like this one. She was back in Alaska, hiking along a mountain road, but as soon as she stepped off the shoulder she was swallowed by the muskeg. She choked in mud, unable to move or see or breathe. For the first time in her life, she understood what it was like to drown. Andy had never been scared of water. But since the muskeg experience, she'd developed a fear of suffocation. The muskeg pressed against her chest. Her lungs wanted to burst.

Just when she couldn't hold her breath any longer, the dream changed and she saw Nico di Angelo inside a jar. The container was completely sealed. The air was turning poisonous. Nico's eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. His face was pale, and thinner than Andy remembered.

Andy started to panic—for him, for her—struggling to get enough oxygen. As her eyes opened and her vision cleared, she realized Anthony was there holding her, trying to keep her still.

"You're okay," he whispered. "It's okay."

"Wh—what's—" she choked. "Are we there?"

"No," Anthony said. "It's the middle of the night."

"Oh." Andy let herself relax in his arms. It had been so long—she couldn't even remember what it was like to not miss him.

Anthony sighed as if reading her mind. "I've missed you," he said. "Remember that zoo truck? The one we took to Las Vegas?"

Andy frowned. "I'll never forget the smell, I'll tell you that. Why are you nostalgic for that?"

She could feel him smiling in the dark. "Because," he said. "It reminds me how long we've known each other."

"Just admit it, you liked me from the very beginning."

"Definitely not. You annoyed me. Then I tolerated you for a few years. Then—"

"Okay, fine. I get it. A lot of people have been telling me that. I don't get it. I can't possibly be that annoying."

He leaned over and kissed her: a good, proper kiss, in the dark, without anyone watching. "You are quite annoying," he whispered.

"Anthony," she said hesitantly. She had longed to have this conversation, but now she was afraid of what he would say. "You know, in New Rome, demigods can live their whole lives in peace. It's so beautiful. I've never seen... I've never thought..."

Even in the dark, she could sense his expression turning guarded, and Andy regretted speaking. "Reyna explained it to me," Anthony said. "But, Andy, you belong at Camp Half-Blood. That other life—"

"I know. But while I was there, I saw so many demigods living without fear: kids going to college, couples getting married and raising families. There's nothing like that at Camp Half-Blood. I kept thinking that... maybe someday I'd like to do that."

"You mean go to college, get married and raise a family?" he teased.

"I mean live. Actually live. Without being afraid. Where I can sleep safe and sound without freaking nightmares. I don't want to be afraid anymore," she felt her eyes stinging and tried to hold back her tears. "I don't want to be glad for the little things. I don't want to hold on to the few good moments we had—to give me hope—to keep me going. I want to have them all the time. I want lots of things."

To her surprised, Anthony laughed. "That's wonderful, Andy. No—it is. And I understand you perfectly. Hopefully, I don't have to tell you that I want the same things. But... we may have burned that bridge. If we can't repair things with the Romans—well, the two sets of demigods have never gotten along. That's why the gods kept us separate. I don't know if we could ever belong there."

"It has to be possible to belong in two different worlds at once. That's what we are, isn't it? Human. God. We're in both worlds. And we don't really belong in the mortal world or on Mount Olympus, but we try to make peace with both sides of our nature."

"You're right," he said slowly. "But… with everything that's happening... I'm not sure I see things like you do. I don't have that much hope. I'm just so glad that I found you again and I plan to enjoy this for the moment."

"Oh, you'd better," she said scolding herself for ever feeling like she couldn't tell him things. Anthony always understood her—he was the only one who always did.

Andy told him about her nightmares.

"Nico is the bait," he murmured. "Gaea's forces must have captured him somehow. But we don't know exactly where they're holding him."

"Somewhere in Rome," Andy said. "Somewhere underground. They made it sound like Nico still had a few days to live, but I don't see how he could hold out so long with no oxygen."

"Five more days, according to Nemesis," Anthony said. "The Kalends of July. At least the deadline makes sense now."

"What's a Kalends?"

Anthony smirked, like he was pleased they were back in their old familiar pattern—Andy being ignorant, he explaining stuff. "It's just the Roman term for the first of the month. That's where we get the word calendar. But how can Nico survive that long? We should talk to Hazel."

"Now?"

"Gods, no. It can wait until morning. I don't want to hit her with this news in the middle of the night. Andy, have you seen Poseidon lately? Or had any kind of sign from him?"

Andy shook her head. "Not since—Wow. I guess I haven't thought about it. Not since the end of the Titan War. I saw him at Camp Half-Blood, but that was last August." A sense of dread settled over her. "Why? Have you seen Athena?"

Anthony was tense. "A few weeks ago," he admitted. "It—it wasn't good. She didn't seem like herself. Maybe it's the Greek/Roman schizophrenia that Nemesis described. I'm not sure. She said some hurtful things. She said I had failed her."

"Failed her?" Andy wasn't sure she'd heard him right. "You're like the perfect demigod child. How could you ever—?"

"I don't know," he said miserably. "On top of that, I've been having nightmares of my own. They don't make as much sense as yours."

Andy waited, but Anthony didn't share any more details. He had always been like this, keeping scary crazy stuff to himself. Again, her feelings shifted and she felt annoyed at how he always clammed up.

That was until he kissed her again, which he probably did to distract her and, although she was aware of that, it worked anyway. "Enough with this talk," he said. "We'll figure everything out. I've got you back. For now, that's all that matters."

"Right," Andy said. "No more talk about Gaea rising, Nico being held hostage, the world ending, the giants—"

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain," he ordered.

They lied together cuddling, enjoying each other's warmth. Before Andy knew it, the comfortable feeling of being with Anthony made her eyes heavy, and she drifted to sleep.

* * *

The meeting was like a war council with donuts. Andy told them about her dreams and Hazel choked back a sob. "Nico—Oh, gods. The seeds."

"You know what they are?" Anthony asked.

Hazel nodded. "He showed them to me once. They're from our stepmother's garden."

"Your step—oh," Andy said. "Persephone."

"The seeds are a last-resort food," Hazel said. "Only children of Hades can eat them. Nico always kept some in case he got stuck somewhere. But if he's really imprisoned—"

"The giants are trying to lure us," Anthony said. "They're assuming we'll try to rescue him."

"Well, they're right!" Hazel looked around the table, her confidence apparently crumbling. "Won't we?"

"Hazel, of course we'll help him," Frank said. "But how long do we have before—uh, I mean, how long can Nico hold out?"

"One seed a day," Hazel said miserably. "That's if he puts himself in a death trance."

"A death trance?" Anthony scowled.

"It keeps him from consuming all his air," Hazel said. "Like hibernation, or a coma. One seed can sustain him one day, barely."

"And he has five seeds left," Andy said. "That's five days, including today. The giants must have planned it that way, so we'd have to arrive by July first."

"That's not much time," Piper summed up. "At least we know what the lines of the prophecy mean now. _'Twins snuff out the angel's breath, who holds the key to endless death.'_ Your brother's last name: di Angelo. Angelo is Italian for 'angel.'"

"Oh, gods," Hazel muttered.

"We'll rescue him," Andy said. "We will. Not just because the prophecy says he holds the key to endless death, but... I promised you, Hazel. I'll do anything to save him."

Anthony shuffled uncomfortably, but Hazel smiled appreciatively.

"That's right," Piper said.

"Uh..." Leo shifted in his chair. "One thing. The giants are expecting us to do this, right? So we're walking into a trap?"

Hazel looked at Leo like he'd made a rude gesture. "We have no choice!"

"Don't get me wrong, Hazel. It's just that your brother, Nico, he knew about both camps, right?"

"Well, yes," Hazel said.

"He's been going back and forth," Leo said, "and he didn't tell either side."

Lena sat forward, her expression grim. "You're wondering if we can trust the guy. So am I."

Hazel shot to her feet. "I don't believe this. He's my brother. He brought me back from the Underworld, and you don't want to help him?"

Frank put his hand on her shoulder. "Nobody's saying that." He glared at Leo. "Nobody had better be saying that."

Leo blinked. "Look, guys. All I mean is—"

"Hazel," Lena said. "Leo is raising a fair point. I remember Nico from Camp Jupiter. Now I find out he also visited Camp Half-Blood. That does strike me as... well, a little shady. Do we really know where his loyalties lie? We just have to be careful."

Hazel's arms shook. "You—the great Lena Grace—the praetor I looked up to. You were supposed to be so fair, such a good leader. And now you..." Hazel stomped her foot and stormed out of the mess hall.

"Hazel!" Leo called after her. "Ah, jeez. I should—"

"You've done enough," Frank growled.

Piper frowned at Leo and Lena. "You guys, that was pretty cold."

Lena looked shocked. "Cold? I'm just being cautious!"

"Her brother is dying," Piper said.

"You can trust Nico," Andy said suddenly. "Or at least you can trust me when I say you can trust him. He has done more than—I mean, if it wasn't for him, we'd—Well, like I said, I'll stop at nothing to save him."

There was another uncomfortable silence. From up above came a whirring sound like a large drill.

"That's Festus," Leo said. "I've got him on autopilot, but we must be nearing Atlanta. I'll have to get up there... uh, assuming we know where to land."

Everyone turned to Andy. Lena raised an eyebrow. "You're Captain Salt Water. Any ideas from the expert?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "Somewhere central, high up so we can get a good view of the city. Maybe a park with some woods?"

Leo nodded. "On it." He raced for the stairs.

Frank settled back in his chair uneasily.

"When we land, I'll scout around in Atlanta," Andy said. "Frank, I could use your help."

"You mean turn into a dragon again? Honestly, Andy, I don't want to spend the whole quest being everyone's flying taxi."

"No," Andy said. "I want you with me because you've got the blood of Poseidon. Maybe you can help me figure out where to find salt water. Besides, you're good in a fight."

That seemed to make Frank feel a little better. "Sure. I guess."

"Great," Andy said. "We should take one more. I vote Anthony!"

* * *

Andy climbed out on deck and said, "Wow."

They had landed near the summit of a forested hill. Below them spread the city of Atlanta. "Ah, great spot." Anthony inhaled the morning air. "Good choice, Leo."

Leo shrugged. "I just picked a tall hill. That's a presidential library or something over there. At least that's what Festus says."

"A son of Ares stood on this hill," said Anthony. "Famous spot in the American Civil War. General Sherman, Union leader. He stood on this hill watching the city of Atlanta burn. Cut a path of destruction all the way from here to the sea. Burning, looting, pillaging."

"That's all very cool," Andy said, "but let's try not to burn down the city this time."

"But where to?" asked Frank.

Andy pointed toward downtown. "When in doubt, start in the middle."

The three of them headed to the presidential library. One of the librarians, whose name was Esther, insisted on driving them wherever they wanted to go. She was so tiny, she could barely see over the steering wheel; but that didn't seem to bother her.

"Uh, so, Esther," Andy said, "here's a hard question for you. Salt water in Atlanta. What's the first thing that comes to mind?"

The old lady chuckled. "Oh, sugar. That's easy. Whale sharks!"

Frank and Anthony exchanged looks.

"Whale sharks?" Frank asked nervously. "You have those in Atlanta?"

"At the aquarium, sugar," Esther said. "Very famous! Right downtown. Is that where you wanted to go?"

"Yes," Andy said quickly. "That's where we're going. I do love aquariums."

Esther dropped them at the main entrance. As she drove away, Frank said, "Are all people in Atlanta that nice?"

Anthony grunted an answer. "Anybody have money?"

Frank checked his pockets. "Three _denarii_ from Camp Jupiter. Five dollars Canadian."

"I've got nothing," Andy said.

"Ah, VIP visitors!" A woman shouted. Her name tag read KATE. "You have your payment, I see," she said. "Excellent!"

"What?" Anthony asked.

Kate scooped the three _denarii_ out of Frank's hand. "Yes, that's fine. Right this way!"

She spun and trotted off toward the main entrance. Andy looked at Anthony and Frank. "A trap?"

"Probably," Frank said.

"No doubt," Anthony agreed.

"Awesome." Andy grinned. "Let's go."

Kate got them past the ticket queue and into the aquarium with no problem. "Right this way." Kate grinned at Andy. "It's a wonderful exhibit. You won't be disappointed. So rare we get VIPs."

"Uh, you mean demigods?" Frank asked.

Kate winked at him impishly. "So over here is the cold-water experience, with your penguins and beluga whales and whatnot. And over there—well, those are some fish, obviously. Oh and those are the yellow ones."

"You don't seem to know much about fish," Frank commented.

"Ugh, I don't blame her," said Andy. "Slimy little bastards."

They passed the gift shop. "Take what you want," Kate told him.

Frank blinked. "Really?"

"Of course! You're a VIP!"

Frank hesitated. Then he stuffed some T-shirts in his backpack.

"Dude," Andy said, "what are you doing?"

"She said I could," Frank whispered. "Besides, I need more clothes. I didn't pack for a long trip!" He added a snow globe to his stash, then picked up a braided cylinder about the size of a candy bar. "What is—?"

"Chinese handcuffs," Anthony said.

Frank looked offended. "How is this Chinese?"

"That's just what it's called," Andy said. "It's like a gag gift."

Frank stuffed the handcuffs in his backpack, and they kept walking.

They passed through an acrylic tunnel and Andy felt irrational panic building in her throat. _Breathe_ , she told herself. _Everything is fine._ They emerged in a viewing room awash with blue light. Inside an aquarium tank, cruising in circles were dozens of huge fish, including two spotted sharks. They were fat and slow, with open mouths and no teeth.

"Whale sharks," Anthony said. "They're very peaceful. They only eat plankton."

"Peaceful sharks?" Andy said with disgust. "What's the point of that?"

Frank read the plaque next to the tank. "The only whale sharks in captivity in the world," he mused. "That's kind of amazing."

"Yes, and these are small," Kate said. "You should see some of my other babies out in the wild."

"Your babies?" Frank asked.

"Kate," Andy called, "we're looking for a guy—I mean a god, named Phorcys. Would you happen to know him?"

Kate snorted. "Know him? He's my brother. That's where we're going, sillies. The real exhibits are right through here." She gestured at a tunnel leading through a luminous purple tank. In one aquarium, a dozen hippocampi drifted aimlessly.

Andy tried to speak with them, but they just floated around. "This isn't right," she muttered.

"What?" Anthony gripped her arm. "What is it?"

At the bottom of a smaller tank, there were two Nereids. Their long green hair floated listlessly around their faces. Their eyes were half closed.

Andy glared at Kate. "How can you keep them here?"

"I know." Kate sighed. "They aren't very interesting. We tried to teach them some tricks, but with no luck, I'm afraid. I think you'll like this tank over here much better."

She pointed at two sea serpents. In another tank was a giant squid. A third tank held a dozen telkhines.

"The only ones in captivity, you know," said Kate.

"But they fought for Kronos in the last war!" Andy said. "They're dangerous!"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Well, we couldn't call it 'Death in the Deep Seas' if these exhibits weren't dangerous. Don't worry. We keep them well sedated."

"Sedated?" Frank asked. "Is that legal?"

Kate appeared not to have heard. She kept walking, pointing out other exhibits. "And these sea monsters," Kate narrated up ahead, "can grow five hundred feet long in the deep ocean. They have over a thousand teeth. And these? Their favorite food is demigod—"

"Demigod?" Frank yelped.

"But they will eat whales or small boats, too." Kate turned to Andy and blushed. "Sorry—I'm such a monster nerd! I'm sure you know all this, being the daughter of Poseidon, and all."

"Not really," Andy said. "Who are you, anyway? Does Kate stand for something?"

"Kate?" She looked momentarily confused. Then she glanced at her name tag. "Oh..." She laughed. "No, it's—"

"Hello!" said a new voice. A small man scuttled out of the darkness. His eyes were milky blue, one higher than the other, and though he smiled, he didn't look friendly. "Visitors!" the man said. "Welcome to Phorcys's Follies! I am Phorcys."

Frank shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Why does your suit say Porky?"

Phorcys snarled. "Stupid uniform company! They can't get anything right."

Kate tapped her name tag. "I told them my name was Keto. They misspelled it as Kate. My brother—well, now he's Porky."

"I am not! I'm not even a little porky. The name doesn't work with Follies, either. What kind of show is called Porky's Follies? But you folks don't want to hear us complain. Behold, the wondrous majesty of the giant killer squid!"

He gestured dramatically toward the squid tank, but the squid had skulked back into its cave.

"Curse it!" Phorcys yelled again. He wheeled on his sister. "Keto, training the squid was your job. Juggling, I said. Maybe a bit of flesh-rending for the finale. Is that too much to ask?"

"He's shy," Keto said defensively. "Besides, each of his tentacles has sixty-two razorlike barbs that have to be sharpened daily." She turned toward Frank. "Did you know the monstrous squid is the only beast known to eat demigods whole, armor and all, without getting indigestion? It's true!"

Frank stumbled away from her.

"Keto!" Porky snapped. "You'll bore our guests with so much information. Less education, more entertainment! We've discussed this."

"But—"

"No buts! We're here to present 'Death in the Deep Seas!' They've spent their hard-earned _denarii_ to get the VIP tour, and so they shall! Come with me!"

"Um, hold it," Andy said.

Phorcys's smile melted in an ugly way. "Yes?"

"You're a sea god, aren't you?" Andy asked. "Son of Gaea?"

The man sighed. "Five thousand years, and I'm still known as Gaea's little boy. Never mind that I'm one of the oldest sea gods in existence. Older than your upstart father, by the way. I'm god of the hidden depths! Lord of watery terrors! Father of a thousand monsters! But, no... nobody even knows me. I make one little mistake, supporting the Titans in their war, and I'm exiled from the ocean—to Atlanta, of all places."

"We thought the Olympians said Atlantis," Keto explained. "Their idea of a joke, I guess, sending us here instead."

Andy narrowed her eyes. "And you're a goddess?"

"Keto, yes! Goddess of sea monsters, naturally! Whales, sharks, squids, and other giant sea life, but my heart always belonged to the monsters. Did you know that young sea serpents can regurgitate the flesh of their victims and keep themselves fed for up to six years on the same meal? It's true!"

Anthony mumbled, "That's fascinating."

"I know!" Keto beamed.

"And how exactly does a killer squid rend the flesh from its victims?" Anthony asked.

"Oh, well—"

"Stop!" Phorcys demanded.

Keto grimaced at Anthony. "Don't mind Porky. He's such a windbag. Come with me, my fine demigod. I'll show you full-color diagrams of the monsters' hunting habits."

"He's not going anywhere with you," Andy said taking his hand. "Nobody cares about fish. I know. I've tried to care and I failed."

Anthony cleared his throat. "Dionysus sent us here."

"Bacchus," Frank corrected.

"The wine dude," said Andy.

"Bacchus said you might know what your mom Gaea is up to, and these twin giant brothers of yours—Ephialtes and Otis," Anthony said.

"Bacchus thought I would help you?" Phorcys asked.

"Well, yeah," Anthony said. "I mean, you're Phorcys. Everybody talks about you."

Phorcys tilted his head so that his mismatched eyes almost lined up. "They do?"

"Of course. Don't they, Frank?"

"Oh—sure! People talk about you all the time."

"What do they say?" the god asked.

Frank looked uncomfortable. "Well, you have great pyrotechnics. And a good announcer's voice. And, um, a disco ball—"

"It's all true! I also have the largest collection of captive sea monsters in the world!"

"And you know stuff," Andy added. "Like about the twins and what they're up to."

"The twins!" Phorcys made his voice echo. "Yes, I know all about Ephialtes and Otis. Those wannabes! They never fit in with the other giants. Too puny—and those snakes for feet."

"Snakes for feet?" asked Andy.

"Yes, yes," Phorcys said impatiently. "They knew they couldn't get by on their strength, so they decided to go for drama—illusions, stage tricks, that sort of thing. You see, Gaea shaped her giant children with specific enemies in mind. Each giant was born to kill a certain god. Ephialtes and Otis—well, together they were sort of the anti-Dionysus."

"So they want to replace all wine with cranberry juice or something?" she joked.

The sea god snorted. "Nothing like that! Ephialtes and Otis always wanted to do things better, flashier, more spectacular! Oh, of course they wanted to kill Dionysus. But first they wanted to humiliate him by making his revelries look tame!"

"By using stuff like fireworks and disco balls?" asked Frank.

"Exactly! I taught the twins everything they know, or at least I tried to. They never listened. Their first big trick? They tried to reach Olympus by piling mountains on top of one another. It was just an illusion, of course. I told them it was ridiculous. 'You should start small,' I said. 'Sawing each other in half, pulling gorgons out of a hat. That sort of thing. And matching sequined outfits. Twins need those!'"

"Good advice," Anthony agreed. "And now the twins are—"

"Oh, preparing for their doomsday show in Rome," Phorcys sneered. "It's one of Mother's silly ideas. They're keeping some prisoner in a large bronze jar." He turned toward Frank. "You're a child of Ares, aren't you? You've got that smell. The twins imprisoned your father the same way, once."

"Child of Mars," Frank corrected. "Wait—these giants trapped my dad in a bronze jar?"

"Yes, another stupid stunt," said the sea god. "How can you show off your prisoner if he's in a bronze jar? No entertainment value."

Andy tried to think. "You said this—this doomsday show was Gaea's idea?"

"Well, Mother's plans always have lots of layers. The earth has layers! I suppose that makes sense!"

"Uh-huh," Andy said. "And so her plan..."

"Oh, she's put out a general bounty on some group of demigods. She doesn't really care who kills them, as long as they're killed. Well, I take that back. She was very specific that two must be spared. One boy and one girl. Tartarus only knows why. At any rate, the twins have their little show planned, hoping it will lure these demigods to Rome. I suppose the prisoner in the jar is a friend of theirs or some such. That, or perhaps they think this group of demigods will be foolish enough to come into their territory searching for the Mark of Athena." Phorcys elbowed Frank in the ribs. "Ha! Good luck with that, eh?"

Frank laughed nervously. "Yeah. Ha-ha. That would be really dumb because, uh..."

Phorcys narrowed his eyes. Andy slipped her hand into her pocket and closed her fingers around Riptide. But Phorcys just grinned and elbowed Frank again. "Ha! Good one, Frank Zhang, descendant of Poseidon. I suppose you're right. No point talking about it. Even if the demigods found that map in Charleston, they'd never make it to Rome alive!"

"How do you know Frank's last name?" Andy demanded. "How do you know he's descended from Poseidon?"

"Well..." Phorcys shrugged, trying to look modest. "It was probably in the descriptions Gaea provided. You know, for the bounty, Andy Jackson."

Andy uncapped her pen.

Phorcys grotesque smile stretched wide. "You see, even if you made it to Rome, which is quite unlikely, you'd never defeat my giant brothers without a god fighting at your side. And what god would help you? So I have a better plan. You're not leaving. You're VIPs—Very Important Prisoners!"

Andy hit Phorcys in the head with the hilt of her sword. He stammered and fell and they ran for the exit. Alarms blared as they fled the exhibits. Over the sound system, Phorcys's voice boomed: "Andy Jackson!"

Andy, Anthony, and Frank stumbled out of the glass tunnel and found themselves back in the whale shark room. The mortal section of the aquarium was filled with screaming crowds—they joined the mortals and ran for the exit.

They stumbled on the ship, Frank gasping, "Take off! Take off! We're being followed!"

Leo, Piper, and Lena, who'd been eating in the mess hall, came rushing up the stairs.

"What? What?" Leo cried, holding a half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich. "Can't a guy even take a lunch break? What's wrong?"

"Followed!" Frank yelled again.

"Followed by what?" Lena asked.

"I don't know!" Frank panted. "Whales? Sea monsters? Maybe Kate and Porky!"

"Leo, you'd better get us out of here," Anthony said. "Set course for Charleston."

Leo put his sandwich between his teeth, pirate style, and ran for the helm. Soon the Argo II was rising into the sky.


	41. Love & War

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part V — _Tears of pain, tears of joy, one thing nothing can destroy is our pride, deep inside._

* * *

"What exactly did you find in Atlanta?" asked Lena.

Frank unzipped his backpack and starting bringing out souvenirs. "Some peach preserves. A couple of T-shirts. A snow globe. And, um, these not-really-Chinese handcuffs."

They gathered on the quarterdeck so Leo could hear the conversation as he navigated. As he told them the story, Anthony could see how much the captive sea creatures in the aquarium had upset Andy.

"It was terrible," she said. "We need to help them."

"We will," Anthony promised. "In time."

"I wish..." she shook her head. "Oh, never mind. First we have to deal with this bounty on our beautiful heads."

Anthony gripped the hilt of his dagger. "As if we didn't attract enough monsters already."

"Do we get WANTED posters?" Leo asked. "And do they have our bounties, like, broken down on a price list?"

Hazel wrinkled her nose. "What are you talking about?"

"Just curious how much I'm going for these days," Leo said. "I mean, I can understand not being as pricey as Andy or Lena, maybe—but am I worth, like, two Franks, or three Franks?"

"Hey!" Frank complained.

"Knock it off," Anthony ordered. "At least we know our next step is to go to Charleston, to find this map."

Piper leaned against the control panel. "But a map to what?"

"The Mark of Athena." It was Andy who answered, her eyes on Anthony. "Whatever that is... we know it leads to something important in Rome, something that might heal the rift between the Romans and Greeks."

"The giants' bane," Hazel added.

"Um... According to Phorcys, we'd have to be insane to try to find it," said Frank. "But what is it?"

Everyone looked at Anthony. He thought about the nightmares, and the argument with his mom. Then he noticed Lena studying him, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking."I—I'm close to an answer," he confessed. "I'll know more if we find this map. Lena, the way you reacted to the name Charleston—have you been there before?"

Lena glanced uneasily at Piper. "Yeah," she admitted. "Reyna and I did a quest there about a year ago. We were salvaging Imperial gold weapons from the C.S.S. Hunley."

"The what?" Piper asked.

"Whoa!" Leo said. "That's the first successful military submarine. From the Civil War. I always wanted to see that."

"It was designed by Roman demigods," Lena said. "It held a secret stash of Imperial gold torpedoes—until we rescued them and brought them back to Camp Jupiter."

Hazel crossed her arms. "So the Romans fought on the Confederate side? As a girl whose grandmother was a slave, can I just say—not cool?"

Lena put her hands in front of her, palms up. "I personally was not alive then. And it wasn't all Greeks on one side and all Romans on the other. But, yes. Not cool. Sometimes demigods make bad choices." She looked sheepishly at Hazel. "Like sometimes we're too suspicious. And we speak without thinking."

Hazel stared at her. "Is this an apology?"

"Yes," Lena said. Then she elbowed Leo.

"Ow!" Leo yelped. "I mean, yeah—bad choices. Like not trusting people's brothers who, you know, might need saving. Hypothetically speaking."

Hazel pursed her lips. "Fine. Back to Charleston. Are you saying we should check that submarine again?"

Lena shrugged. "Well, I can think of two places in Charleston we might search. The museum where they keep the Hunley—that's one of them. It has a lot of relics from the Civil War. A map could be hidden in one. I know the layout. I could lead a team inside."

"I'll go," Leo said. "That sounds cool."

Lena nodded. She turned to Frank, who was trying to pull his fingers out of the Chinese handcuffs. "You should come too, Frank. We might need you."

Frank looked surprised. "Why?"

"You're a child of Mars," she said. "The ghosts of defeated causes are bound to serve you. And the museum in Charleston has plenty of Confederate ghosts. We'll need you to keep them in line."

Frank gulped. "Okay." He relented. "Sure." Frank frowned at his fingers, trying to pull them out of the trap. "Uh, how do you—?"

Leo chuckled. "Man, you've never seen those before? There's a simple trick to getting out."

Frank tugged again with no luck. Even Hazel was trying not to laugh. Frank grimaced with concentration. Suddenly, he disappeared. On the deck where he'd been standing, a green iguana crouched next to an empty set of Chinese handcuffs.

"Well done, Frank Zhang," Leo said dryly. "That is exactly how people beat Chinese handcuffs. They turn into iguanas."

Everybody busted out laughing. Frank turned back to human. "Anyway," he said, clearly anxious to change the subject. "The museum is one place to search. But, uh, Lena, you said there were two?"

Her smile faded. "Yeah. The other place is called the Battery—it's a park right by the harbor. The last time I was there—with Reyna..." She glanced at Piper and cleared her throat. "We saw something in the park. A ghost or some sort of spirit, like a Southern belle from the Civil War, glowing and floating along. We tried to approach it, but it disappeared whenever we got close. Then Reyna had this feeling—she said she should try it alone. Like it wanted to speak to her only. She went up to the spirit by herself, and sure enough, it did."

Everyone waited.

"What did it say?" Anthony asked.

"Reyna wouldn't tell me," Lena admitted. "But it must have been important. She seemed—shaken up. Maybe she got a prophecy or some bad news. Reyna never acted the same after that."

"Well, I'm going," Anthony said. "And I'll someone with me. Andy?"

"We just came back," she complained. "I was hoping for a nap. Maybe a shower. Lots of food."

"I'll go with you," Piper said with a smile.

"Me too," said Hazel. "I need some time off this boat."

"Hold up," Andy said. "What's happening here? Everybody wants to go with him? Why? I don't like that. Maybe I should—"

"Lost your chance, Seaweed Brain," he teased. He was joking lightheartedly, but in truth he wasn't eager to let Andy out of his sight again. On the other hand, she looked so troubled by her experience with those imprisoned sea creatures, he thought maybe she could use a good break.

"Fine," she grumbled, her eyes on Piper and Hazel. "And if my boyfriend doesn't come back, everyone involved will be held responsible. Be warned."

"I'll come back," Anthony told her and she gave him a kiss.

"Festus just detected a large group of eagles behind us—long-range radar, still not in sight," Leo said.

Piper leaned over the console. "Are you sure they're Roman?"

Leo rolled his eyes. "No, Pipes. It could be a random group of giant eagles flying in perfect formation. Of course they're Roman! I suppose we could turn the ship around and fight—"

"Which would be a very bad idea," Lena said, "and remove any doubt that we're enemies of Rome."

"Or I've got another idea," Leo said. He punched a few buttons on the console and called into the intercom, "Buford? Report for duty, please."

Frank took a step back. "There's somebody else on the ship? Who is Buford?"

A puff of steam shot from the stairwell, and Leo's automatic table climbed on deck.

"This is Buford," Leo announced.

"You name your furniture?" Frank asked.

Leo snorted. "Man, you just wish you had furniture this cool. Buford, are you ready for Operation End Table?"

Buford spewed steam. He stepped to the railing. His mahogany top split into four pie slices, which elongated into wooden blades. The blades spun, and Buford took off.

"A helicopter table," Andy muttered. "Gotta admit, that's cool. What's in the bag?"

"Dirty demigod laundry," Leo said. "I hope you don't mind, Frank."

Frank choked. "What?"

"It'll throw the eagles off our scent."

"Those were my only extra pants!"

Leo shrugged. "I asked Buford to get them laundered and folded while he's out. Hopefully he will." He rubbed his hands and grinned.

* * *

Before landing, Anthony went back to his cabin and grabbed the drachma his mother had given him. It was heavy and it showed an owl with an olive branch on one side and Greek inscription on the other. He remembered the argument that followed the token.

"I must return home," Athena kept murmuring. "The way is complex. I wish Odysseus were here. He would understand. Before they sacked my city, took my identity, made me Roman. I must return home. My children will avenge me. They must destroy the Romans. Horrible, dishonorable, copycat Romans. Hera argued that we must keep the two camps apart. I said, 'No, let them fight. Let my children destroy the usurpers.'"

"You wanted that?" Anthony had asked her. "But you're wise. You understand warfare better than any—"

"Once!" the goddess said. "Replaced. Sacked. Looted like a trophy and carted off—away from my beloved homeland. I lost so much. I swore I would never forgive. Neither would my children. Follow the Mark of Athena," she told him. "Avenge me. If you would join them, you are no child of mine. You have already failed me. If Andy Jackson has gone over to the Romans, let her perish. Kill her. Kill all the Romans. Find the Mark, follow it to its source. Witness how Rome has disgraced me, and pledge your vengeance."

"Athena isn't the goddess of revenge." Anthony argued. "Andy is everything to me."

"And revenge is everything to me," the goddess snarled. "Which of us is wiser? See what they have done, making a Roman of me. They wish me to be their goddess? Then let them taste their own evil. Kill them, child."

"No!"

"Then you are nothing. Avenge me or leave me. You are no child of mine."

There was a knock on the door. Frank Zhang poked his head in. "Um, sorry," he said. "Could I—?"

"Sure," Anthony said hiding the drachma in his pocket. "Yes."

Frank stepped inside, looking around the cabin.

"So…" Anthony ventured. "What can I do for you?"

Frank blushed and pulled his Chinese handcuffs out of his pocket. "I don't like being in the dark about this," he muttered. "Could you show me the trick? I didn't feel comfortable asking anyone else. I mean... I could've asked Andy... I just don't think she explains things... very well."

Anthony smiled. "No, she doesn't. Sit down." Frank sat on the edge of the mattress, as if preparing for a quick escape. Anthony took the Chinese handcuffs. "I'm sorry about Leo," he said. "He's been razzing you pretty hard. But don't take it personally. That's just how he is. He's just got a big mouth. When people make him nervous, he uses humor as a defense."

Frank frowned. "Why would I make him nervous?"

"You're twice his size. You can turn into a dragon. And Hazel likes you," Anthony summed up. Still, Frank didn't look convinced. "Okay, look. The structure is a cylindrical biaxial braid, so it has excellent resilience. When you put your fingers inside, it loosens. But when you try to remove them, the circumference shrinks as the braid catches and tightens. There's no way you can pull free by struggling."

Frank stared at him blankly. "But what's the answer?"

"Well, you don't fight against the handcuffs. You push your fingers in, not out. That loosens the braid."

"Oh." Frank tried it. It worked. "It's easy when you know the solution."

"Many of the best traps are simple," Anthony said. "You just have to think about it, and hope your victim doesn't."

Frank nodded. He seemed reluctant to leave. "Anthony... uh, sometime, maybe could you help me with another problem that's not so simple? I've got, um, I guess you'd call it an Achilles' heel."

Anthony frowned. "Does anyone else know about this Achilles' heel?"

"Andy and Hazel," he said. "That's it. Andy—she's a good one. I would follow her anywhere. Thought you should know."

Anthony nodded. "She has a knack for picking good friends. Like you. But, Frank, you can trust anyone on this ship. Even Leo. We're all a team. We have to trust each other."

"I—I suppose."

"So what's the weakness you're worried about?"

A bell sounded, and Frank jumped. "Maybe—maybe later," he said. "It's hard to talk about. But thanks, Anthony." He held up the Chinese handcuffs. "Keep it simple."

* * *

Leo docked the ship at a pier in Charleston Harbor, right next to the seawall. Lena, Frank, and Leo left for the museum. Piper and Hazel were waiting for Anthony, ready to go.

"What are you going to do while we're gone?" Anthony asked Andy. She was staring out to sea.

"Jump into the harbor," she said casually. "I want to try communicating with the local Nereids. Maybe they can give me some advice about how to free those captives in Atlanta. Besides, I think the sea might be good for me. I feel like I need this."

Her hair was dark and tangled as usual. She looked so beautiful Anthony had second thoughts about leaving her behind. "Alright. Good luck, Seaweed Brain. Just come back to me, okay?"

"I will," she promised with a smile. "Don't forget to do the same. Don't let the pretty girls distract you, boyfriend. I know I smell like fish, but I sure do have some... some... I have a mean right hook."

Anthony chuckled. It was just like her—she was completely blind to how appealing she was to him. "You're hopeless," he told her. She shrugged. Then he turned to Piper and Hazel. "Okay, ladies. Let's find the ghost of the Battery."

They walked for a long time. Charleston Harbor glittered in the sun. The park wasn't crowded. They strolled along South Battery Street, which was lined with four-story Colonial mansions.

"Kind of reminds me of New Rome," Hazel said. "All the big mansions and the gardens. The columns and arches."

Anthony loved the architecture here. The houses and the gardens were very beautiful, very Roman. But he wondered why beautiful things had to be wrapped up with evil history.

The girls didn't say much. Piper kept looking around like she expected an ambush. Hazel also seemed preoccupied and Anthony suspected she was thinking about Nico.

Anthony had mixed feelings about Nico di Angelo. First the boy wanted revenge on Andy, he wanted to hurt her, something Anthony had never been able to forgive. But then everything changed. Anthony could recognize the way Nico looked at Andy, he had known that longing stare. And Andy... she felt so guilty about Bianca's death she wanted to protect the boy, save him, keep him around.

Piper grabbed Anthony's arm. "There." She pointed across the harbor. A hundred yards out, a shimmering white figure floated on the water. "The ghost."

"That's not a ghost," Hazel said. "No kind of spirit glows that brightly."

As if in a trance, Piper walked across the street toward the edge of the seawall.

"Piper!" Anthony called.

"We'd better follow her," Hazel said.

By the time Anthony and Hazel caught up to her, the ghostly apparition was only a few yards away. Piper glared at it like the sight offended her. "It is her," she grumbled.

The apparition floated up the seawall and stopped in front of them. The glow faded. Anthony gasped. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful and strangely familiar. Her face was hard to describe. Her features seemed to shift. Her sea green eyes sparkled. Her hair changed to black before his eyes. "Aphrodite," he gasped.

"Venus?" Hazel asked in amazement.

"Mom," Piper said, with no enthusiasm.

"Hello!" The goddess spread her arms like she wanted a group hug. The three demigods did not oblige. Hazel backed into a palmetto tree. "I'm so glad you're here," Aphrodite said. "War is coming. Bloodshed is inevitable. So there's really only one thing to do."

"And that is?" Anthony ventured.

"Why, have tea and chat, obviously." She made a picnic appear around them and forced them to sit down and eat. She poured tea and served cakes, her posture always perfect, her smile dazzling.

Anthony felt strangely dizzy.

"Oh, my sweets," the goddess said. "I do love Charleston! The weddings I've attended in this gazebo—they bring tears to my eyes. And the elegant balls in the days of the Old South. Ah, they were lovely. Many of these mansions still have statues of me in their gardens, though they called me Venus."

"Which are you?" he asked. "Venus or Aphrodite?"

The goddess sipped her tea. Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Anthony Chase, you've grown into quite a handsome young lad. And, Hazel Levesque, your clothes—"

"My clothes?" Hazel looked down, not self-consciously, but baffled.

"Mother!" Piper said. "You're embarrassing me."

"Well, I don't see why," the goddess said. "Just because you don't appreciate my fashion tips, Piper, doesn't mean the others won't."

"Mother!"

"Fine," Aphrodite sighed. "To answer your question, Anthony, I am both Aphrodite and Venus. Unlike many of my fellow Olympians, I changed hardly at all from one age to the other. In fact, I like to think I haven't aged a bit! Love is love, after all, whether you're Greek or Roman. This civil war won't affect me as much as it will the others."

Hazel nibbled a sugar cookie. "We're not in a war yet, my lady."

"Oh, dear Hazel." Aphrodite folded her fan. "Such optimism, yet you have heartrending days ahead of you. Of course war is coming. Love and war always go together. They are the peaks of human emotion! Evil and good, beauty and ugliness."

Hazel set down her sugar cookie. She had a few crumbs on her chin, and Anthony liked the fact that Hazel either didn't know or didn't care. "What do you mean," Hazel asked, "heartrending days?"

The goddess laughed as if Hazel were a cute puppy. "Well, Anthony could give you some idea. I once promised to make his love life interesting. And didn't I?"

"Interesting," Anthony said, "is a mild way of putting it."

"Well, I can't take credit for all your troubles," the goddess said. "But I do love twists and turns in a love story. Oh, all of you are such excellent stories. You do me proud!"

"Mother," Piper said, "is there a reason you're here?"

"Hmm? Oh, you mean besides the tea? I often come here. I love the view, the food, the atmosphere—you can just smell the romance and heartbreak in the air, can't you? Centuries of it." She pointed to a nearby mansion. "Do you see that rooftop balcony? We had a party there the night the American Civil War began. The shelling of Fort Sumter."

"That's it," Anthony remembered. "The island in the harbor. That's where the first fighting of the Civil War happened. The Confederates shelled the Union troops and took the fort."

"Oh, such a party!" Aphrodite said. "A string quartet, and all the men in their elegant new officers' uniforms. The women's dresses—you should've seen them! I danced with Ares—or was he Mars? I'm afraid I was a little giddy. And the beautiful bursts of light across the harbor, the roar of the cannons giving the men an excuse to put their arms around their frightened sweethearts!"

"You're talking about the beginning of the bloodiest war in U.S. History," said Anthony. "Over six hundred thousand people died—more Americans than in World War One and World War Two combined."

"And the refreshments!" Aphrodite continued. "Ah, they were divine. General Beauregard himself made an appearance. He was such a scoundrel. He was on his second wife, then, but you should have seen the way he looked at Lisbeth Cooper—"

"Mother!"

"Yes, sorry," the goddess said. "To make the story short, I'm here to help you. I doubt you'll be seeing Hera much. Your little quest has hardly made her welcome in the throne room. And the other gods are rather indisposed, as you know, torn between their Roman and Greek sides. Some more than others." Aphrodite fixed her gaze on Anthony. "I suppose you've told your friends about your falling-out with your mother?"

Hazel and Piper looked at Anthony curiously.

"Falling-out?" Hazel asked.

"An argument," Anthony said. "It's nothing."

"Nothing!" the goddess said. "Well, I don't know about that. Athena was the most Greek of all goddesses. The patron of Athens, after all. When the Romans took over—oh, they adopted Athena after a fashion. She became Minerva, the goddess of crafts and cleverness. But the Romans had other war gods who were more to their taste, more reliably Roman—like Bellona—"

"Reyna's mom," Piper muttered.

"Yes, indeed," the goddess agreed. "I had a lovely talk with Reyna a while back, right here in the park. She needed some love advice. Oh, and the Romans had Mars, of course. And later, there was Mithras—not even properly Greek or Roman, but the legionnaires were crazy about his cult. I always found him crass and terribly nouveau dieu, personally. At any rate, the Romans quite sidelined poor Athena. They took away most of her military importance. The Greeks never forgave the Romans for that insult. Neither did Athena."

"The Mark of Athena," Anthony said. "It leads to a statue, doesn't it? It leads to—to the statue."

Aphrodite smiled. "You are clever, like your mother. Understand, though, your siblings, the children of Athena, have been searching for centuries. None has succeeded in recovering the statue. In the meantime, they've been keeping alive the Greek feud with the Romans. Every civil war—so much bloodshed and heartbreak—has been orchestrated largely by Athena's children."

"That's..." Anthony wanted to say impossible, but he choked.

"Romantic?" Aphrodite offered. "Yes, I supposed it is."

"But the Mark of Athena, how does it work? Is it a series of clues, or a trail set by Athena—"

"Hmm." Aphrodite looked politely bored. "I couldn't say. I don't believe Athena created the Mark consciously. If she knew where her statue was, she'd simply tell you where to find it. No—I'd guess the Mark is more like a spiritual trail of breadcrumbs. It's a connection between the statue and the children of the goddess. The statue wants to be found, you see, but it can only be freed by the most worthy."

"And for thousands of years," Anthony said, "no one has managed."

"Hold on," Piper said. "What statue are we talking about?"

The goddess laughed. "Oh, I'm sure Anthony will fill you in. At any rate, the clue you need is close by: a map of sorts, left by the children of Athena in 1861—a remembrance that will start you on your path, once you reach Rome. But as you said, Anthony Chase, no one has ever succeeded in following the Mark of Athena to its end. There you will face your worst fear—the fear of every child of Athena. And even if you survive, how will you use your reward? For war or for peace?"

"This map," he said, "where is it?"

"Guys!" Hazel pointed to the sky. Circling above the palmetto trees were two large eagles.

Aphrodite spread butter on a muffin as if she had all the time in the world. "Oh, the map is at Fort Sumter, of course." She pointed her butter knife toward the island across the harbor. "It looks like the Romans have arrived to cut you off. I'd get back to your ship in a hurry if I were you. Would you care for some tea cakes to go?"

* * *

Halfway across the dock, three giant eagles descended in front of them. Each deposited a Roman commando in purple and denim with glittering gold armor, sword, and shield.

"Surrender to Rome!" Octavian shrieked.

Hazel drew her cavalry sword and grumbled, "Fat chance, Octavian."

Piper raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Octavian, what happened at camp was a setup. We can explain."

"Can't hear you!" Octavian yelled. "Wax in our ears—standard procedure when battling evil sirens. Now, throw down your weapons and turn around slowly so I can bind your hands."

"Let me skewer him," Hazel muttered. "Please."

"Well?" Octavian demanded. His two friends brandished their swords.

Very slowly, using only two fingers, Anthony drew his dagger. Instead of dropping it, he tossed it as far as he could into the water.

Octavian made a squeaking sound. "What was that for? I didn't say toss it! That could've been evidence. Or spoils of war!" Anthony shrugged. "You other two..." He pointed his blade at Hazel and Piper. "Put your weapons on the dock. No funny bus—"

All around the Romans, Charleston Harbor erupted like a Las Vegas fountain putting on a show. When the wall of seawater subsided, the three Romans were in the bay, spluttering and frantically trying to stay afloat in their armor.

Andy stood on the dock, holding Anthony's dagger. "You dropped this, babe," she said. Anthony almost laughed.

"Guys," Hazel interrupted. She had a little smile on her face. "We need to hurry."

Down in the water, Octavian yelled, "Get me out of here! I'll kill you!"

"Tempting," Andy called down.

"What?" Octavian shouted. He was holding on to one of his guards, who was having trouble keeping them both afloat.

"Nothing!" Andy shouted back. "Let's go, guys."

Hazel frowned. "We can't let them drown, can we?"

"They won't," Andy promised. "I've got the water circulating around their feet. As soon as we're out of range, I'll spit them ashore."

Piper grinned. "Nice."

"I know, right? Thank you."

They climbed aboard the Argo II, and Anthony ran to the helm. "Piper, get below. Use the sink in the galley for an Iris-message. Warn Lena to get back here!" Piper nodded and raced off. "Andy, I need to get this ship to Fort Sumter."

Andy nodded and ran to the mast. Anthony took the helm. He hoped he knew enough to operate the buttons.

Ropes flew on their own—releasing the dock ties, weighing the anchor. The sails unfurled and caught the wind. Meanwhile Anthony fired the engine. The oars extended with a sound like machine-gun fire, and the Argo II turned from the dock, heading for the island in the distance.

The three eagles still circled overhead, but they made no attempt to land on the ship, probably because Festus the figurehead blew fire whenever they got close. Piper emerged from below. "Got a message through to Lena. Kind of fuzzy, but she's already on her way. She should be—oh! There!"

Soaring over the city, heading in their direction, was a giant bald eagle, unlike the golden Roman birds.

"Frank!" Hazel said.

Leo was holding on to the eagle's feet, and even from the ship, Anthony could hear him screaming and cursing. Behind them flew Lena, riding the wind.

"Never seen Lena fly before," Andy grumbled. "She looks like Supergirl."

"Well, she's my Supergirl," Piper scolded. "And they're in trouble!"

Sure enough, the Roman flying chariot had descended from a cloud and was diving straight toward them. Lena and Frank veered out of the way, pulling up to avoid getting trampled by the pegasi. The charioteers fired their bows. Arrows whistled under Leo's feet, which led to more screaming and cursing. Lena and Frank were forced to overshoot the Argo II and fly toward Fort Sumter.

Anthony gunned the engines. The hull shuddered as they picked up speed. "Andy," he said, "we're going to come in hard. I need you to control the water so we don't smash into the docks. Once we're there, you're going to have to hold off the attackers. The rest of you help her guard the ship."

"But—Lena!" Piper said.

"Frank and Leo!" Hazel added.

"I'll find them," Anthony promised. "I've got to figure out where the map is. And I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who can do that."

"The fort is crawling with Romans," Andy warned. "You'll have to fight your way through, find our friends—assuming they're okay—find this map, and get everybody back alive. All on your own?"

"Just an average day," he winked with confidence he didn't have. "Whatever you do, don't let them take this ship!"

* * *

Leo had somehow escaped his fall unharmed. Anthony saw him ducking and blasting fire at the giant eagles swooping down on him. In the middle of the courtyard, a full-grown elephant—Frank—rampaged around the flagpoles, scattering Roman warriors. Lena stood about fifty yards away, sword-fighting with a stocky centurion.

"Lena!" Anthony called.

She scanned the battlefield until she saw him.

Anthony pointed to the Argo II. "Get the others aboard! Retreat!"

"What about you?" she called.

"Don't wait for me!" And he bolted off before Lena could protest.

Anthony maneuvered through the mobs of tourists. He dodged into a small room that must have been part of the garrison. He tried to steady his breathing and think. Suddenly the walls glistened. The air became warm. The doors slammed shut. The mortar between the stones blistered. The bubbles popped, and thousands of tiny black spiders swelled forth.

He couldn't move. The spiders blanketed the walls, crawling over one another, spreading across the floor and gradually surrounding him. Terror plunged him into memories. He remembered the time he woke up, freckled with bites, cobwebs covering his eyes, his mouth, and nose.

All children of Athena feared spiders—all spiders hated the children of Athena.

And the past few weeks, he'd had nightmares of spiders almost every night—crawling over him, suffocating him, wrapping him in webs.

 _Soon_ , Gaea's voice murmured. _You will meet the weaver soon._

He feared the answer, but he asked: "Who—who is the weaver?"

The spiders became excited, swarming over the walls, swirling around Anthony's feet like a glistening black whirlpool.

 _I hope you survive, child of wisdom and crafts,_ Gaea said. _I would prefer you as my sacrifice. But we must let the weaver take her revenge…_

In the center of the spider swarm, a red symbol blazed to life: the figure of an owl. The Mark of Athena burned across the walls, incinerating the spiders until the room was empty except for the smell of sickly sweet ashes.

 _Go_ , said Athena's voice. _Avenge me. Follow the Mark._

The blazing symbol of the owl faded. The garrison doors burst open. An explosion shook the building. Anthony forced himself to move. An eagle swooped at him, but he ducked and kept running.

He reached the mortar and put his hand on the muzzle. On the plug that blocked the opening, the Mark of Athena began to glow—the red outline of an owl. He drew his dagger. As soon as the Celestial bronze touched the plug, it shrank and loosened. Anthony pulled it off and stuck his hand inside the cannon. He pulled out a small disk of bronze, etched with delicate letters and illustrations.

"Anthony," a voice said. He turned. Reyna stood in full battle armor, holding a golden javelin. Her two metal greyhounds growled at her side.

"Reyna! What happened at Camp Jupiter was Gaea's fault. Eidolons, possessing spirits—"

"Save your explanations," she said. "You'll need them for the trial." The dogs snarled and inched forward.

"If you let Gaea drive our camps apart, the giants have already won. They'll destroy the Romans, the Greeks, the gods, the whole mortal world."

"Don't you think I know that?" Reyna's voice was as hard as iron. "What choice have you left me? Octavian smells blood. He's whipped the legion into a frenzy, and I can't stop it. Surrender to me. I'll bring you back to New Rome for trial. It won't be fair. You'll be painfully executed. But it may be enough to stop further violence. Octavian won't be satisfied, of course, but I think I can convince the others to stand down."

"It wasn't me!"

"It doesn't matter! Someone must pay for what happened. Let it be you. It's the better option."

"Better than what?"

"Use that wisdom of yours," Reyna said. "If you escape today, we won't follow. I told you—not even a madman would cross the sea to the ancient lands. If Octavian can't have vengeance on your ship, he'll turn his attention to Camp Half-Blood. The legion will march on your territory. We will raze it and salt the earth."

"I'm going," he told Reyna. "I'm following the Mark of Athena to Rome."

The praetor shook her head. "You have no idea what awaits you."

"Yes, I do," Anthony said. "This grudge between our camps—I can fix it."

"Our grudge is thousands of years old. How can one person fix it?"

"The quest has to succeed. You can try to stop me, in which case we'll have to fight to the death. Or you can let me go, and I'll try to save both our camps. If you must march on Camp Half-Blood, at least try to delay. Slow Octavian down."

Reyna's eyes narrowed. "One child of a war goddess to another, I respect your boldness. But if you leave now, you doom your camp to destruction."

"Don't underestimate Camp Half-Blood," Anthony warned.

"You've never seen the legion at war," Reyna countered.

Over by the docks, Octavian shrieked over the wind: "Kill them! Kill them all!"

On the deck of the Argo II, Lena and Andy stood together, their swords crossed. They worked as one, summoning the sky and the sea to do their bidding. Water and wind churned together.

"You see?" Reyna said bitterly. "The spear is thrown. Our people are at war."

"Not if I succeed," Anthony said.

"Anthony Chase," she said with tired eyes. Anthony saw she had no hope left in her. Reyna was too alone, too betrayed to believe in anything good. "When we meet again, we will be enemies on the field of battle." The praetor turned and walked across the ramparts, her greyhounds behind her.

Anthony ran for the ship. He sprinted through the Roman lines. Octavian yelled, "Stop him!"

A spear flew past his ear. The Argo II was already pulling away from the dock. Piper was at the gangplank, her hand outstretched. Anthony leaped and grabbed her hand. The gangplank fell into the sea, and the two of them tumbled awkwardly tangled onto the deck.

Lena changed the course of the wind, and Andy called up a massive wave, which lifted the ship higher. By the time the Argo II reached top speed, Fort Sumter was only a blot in the distance.


	42. Out of Time

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part VI — _Barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly._

* * *

Leo had to use all his skill just to keep the ship in one piece. Anthony stood next to him, yelling against the roar of the wind: "Andy says she talked to a Nereid in Charleston Harbor!"

"Good for her!" Leo yelled back.

"The Nereid said we should seek help from Chiron's brothers. I've got coordinates. Can you input latitude and longitude in this thing?"

"I can input star charts and order you a smoothie, if you want. Of course I can do latitude and longitude!"

Anthony rattled off the numbers. Leo somehow managed to punch them in while holding the wheel with one hand. "That location is in the middle of the Atlantic," he said. "Do the ponies have a yacht?"

Anthony shrugged helplessly. "Just hold the ship together until we get farther from Charleston. Lena and Andy will keep up the winds!"

"Happy fun time!"

It seemed like forever, but finally the sea calmed and the winds died. Leo staggered across the deck toward his friends.

Andy and Lena sat with their backs against the mast, their heads slumped in exhaustion. Anthony and Piper were trying to get them to drink some water. Hazel and Frank stood just out of earshot, having an argument that involved lots of arm waving and head shaking. They stopped abruptly when Hazel saw Leo. Everybody gathered at the mast.

Frank scowled like he was trying hard to turn into a bulldog. "No sign of pursuit," he said.

"Or land," Hazel added.

Leo turned to Anthony. "Did you find the map you wanted?"

He nodded, though he looked pale. "I'll have to study it," he said, as if that was the end of the subject. "How far are we from those coordinates?"

"At top rowing speed, about an hour," Leo said. "Any idea what we're looking for?"

"No," he admitted. "Andy?"

Andy raised her head. Her green eyes were bloodshot and droopy. "The Nereid said Chiron's brothers were there, and they'd want to hear about that aquarium in Atlanta. I don't know what she meant, but... She also warned me to be careful. Keto, the goddess at the aquarium: she's the mother of sea monsters. She might be stuck in Atlanta, but she can still send her children after us. The Nereid said we should expect an attack."

"Wonderful," Frank muttered.

"Can we get the ship aloft?" Lena asked. "If we could fly—"

"That'd be great," Leo said. "Except Festus tells me the port aerial stabilizer got pulverized when the ship raked against the dock at Fort Sumter."

"We were in a hurry," Anthony said. "Trying to save you."

"And saving me is a very noble cause," Leo agreed. "I'm just saying, it'll take some time to fix it. Until then, we're not flying anywhere."

Andy flexed her shoulders and winced. "Fine with me. The sea is good."

"Speak for yourself." Hazel glanced at the evening sun, which was almost to the horizon. "We need to go fast. We've burned another day, and Nico only has three more left."

"We can do it," Leo promised. "We can make it to Rome in three days—assuming, you know, nothing unexpected happens."

Frank grunted. "Is there any good news?"

"Actually, yes," Leo said. "According to Festus, our flying table, Buford, made it back safely while we were in Charleston, so those eagles didn't get him. Unfortunately, he lost the laundry bag with your pants."

"Dang it!" Frank barked, which Leo figured was probably severe profanity for him. No doubt Frank would've cursed some more—busting out the golly gees and the gosh darns—but Andy interrupted by doubling over and groaning.

"Did the world just turn upside down?" she moaned.

Lena pressed her hands to her head. "Yeah, and it's spinning. Everything is yellow. Is it supposed to be yellow?"

Anthony and Piper exchanged concerned looks.

"Summoning that storm really sapped your strength," Piper told them. "You've got to rest."

Anthony nodded in agreement. "Frank, can you help us get them below decks?"

Hazel and Leo were left alone, but Hazel was too nauseated to notice. "Ugh…" She leaned over and hugged her sides.

"Don't lean over," he advised. "Don't close your eyes. It makes the queasiness worse."

"It does? Do you get seasick too?"

"Not seasick. But cars make me nauseous."

"Cars?" Hazel straightened with difficulty. "You can sail a ship or fly a dragon, but cars make you sick?"

"I know, right?" Leo shrugged. "I'm special that way. Look, keep your eyes on the horizon. That's a fixed point. It'll help."

Hazel took a deep breath and stared into the distance.

"Any better?".

"Maybe a little." She sounded like she was just being polite. "You should go easy on Frank," she said suddenly. "You and your fireballs make him nervous."

"The guy can turn into an elephant, and I make him nervous?"

Hazel kept her eyes on the horizon. "Leo," she said, "about what happened at the Great Salt Lake..."

Leo took the fortune cookie out of his tool belt and turned it in his fingers, wondering what price he would have to pay if he broke it open. "I'd be willing," he told Hazel. "I could use the fortune cookie to find your brother."

Hazel looked stunned. "What? No! I mean—I'd never ask you to do that. Not after what Nemesis said about the horrible cost. We barely know each other!"

"That's not what you wanted to talk about? Uh, did you want to talk about the holding-hands-on-the-boulder moment? Because—"

"No! No, I was just thinking about the way you tricked Narcissus and those nymphs..."

"Oh, right." Leo glanced self-consciously at himself. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"You were amazing," Hazel said. "I've been mulling it over, how much you reminded me of—"

"Sammy," Leo guessed. "I wish you'd tell me who he is."

"Who he was," Hazel corrected. "I've been thinking—I might be able to show you."

"You mean like a photo?"

"No. There's a sort of flashback that happens to me. I haven't had one in a long time, and I've never tried to make one happen on purpose. But I shared one with Frank once, so I thought..." Hazel locked eyes with him.

Leo started to feel jittery, like he'd been injected with coffee. "When you say flashback..." he swallowed. "What exactly are we talking about? Is it safe?"

Hazel held out her hand. "I wouldn't ask you to do this, but I'm sure it's important. It can't be a coincidence we met. If this works, maybe we can finally understand how we're connected."

Leo glanced back at the helm with the nagging suspicion he'd forgotten something. "Okay," he relented. "Show me." He took Hazel's hand, and the world dissolved.

* * *

The plaque on the building said: St. Agnes Academy for Colored Children and Indians. "What kind of name—?" Leo started to ask, but choked when he saw Hazel—Hazel from the past—stepping into the courtyard.

A boy called out, "Witch girl!" He lumbered toward her, backing her into a corner. He thrust out his hand. "Lunch." Hazel from the past didn't protest. She handed over her canvas bag like this was an everyday occurrence.

A few older girls drifted over. One giggled at the boy. "You don't want to eat that, Rufus," she warned. "It's probably poison."

"You're right," Rufus said. "Did your witch mom make this, Levesque?"

"She's not a witch," Hazel muttered.

Rufus dropped the bag and stepped on it, smashing the contents under his bare heel. "You can have it back. I want a diamond, though. I hear your momma can make those out of thin air. Gimme a diamond."

Then another kid stumbled outside into the sunlight. Leo sucked in his breath. The boy looked exactly like him. He had the same nervous energy and the same devilish smile.

Hazel pressed herself against the wall. Suddenly the ground at her feet went snap, like a twig breaking. A perfect diamond the size of a pistachio glittered between her feet. Rufus leaned over to grab the diamond when Sammy yelled, "DON'T!" with such authority most of the kids backed away. "I believe this belongs to me."

"Sammy, no!" Hazel protested, but Sammy snatched up the stone and slipped it into his pocket in one smooth move.

Rufus stepped toward Sammy and said, "Valdez, I'm gonna—"

The bell rang. Kids swarmed the doors. Sammy took Hazel's hand pulled her away, both of them running to a clearing near the school.

"Sammy..." Hazel cried. "Rufus is going to kill you."

"Ah, he knows better than to tangle with me." He stood up straight and stuck out his scrawny chest.

Hazel laughed. "You are ridiculous."

"Why, thank you, Miss Lamarr."

"You shouldn't have touched that diamond. It's dangerous."

Sammy's smile wavered. "Ah, come on," he said. "Not for me!"

Hazel studied him warily. "Bad things might happen. You shouldn't—"

"I won't sell it," Sammy said. "I promise! I'll just keep it as a token of your flavor."

Hazel forced a smile. "I think you mean favor."

"No, I always say exactly what I mean."

"Thanks for being there, Sammy," Hazel said softly.

"Miss Levesque, I will always be there for you!" he said brightly and the two of them raced back into the schoolhouse.

Then everything dissolved into a different scene. "This isn't from my life!" Hazel said, her voice full of alarm.

An old man sat on a porch. "Ah, Hazel..." he murmured. "I guess we ran out of time." The man was tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair, but the tapping wasn't random. He was using Morse code, just like Leo's mother used to do with him—and the old man was tapping the same message: _I love you._

The screen door opened and Leo's mom came out holding a baby. " _Bisabuelo_ ," she said, "you want to hold him?"

The old man broke into a huge grin. "A boy! _Mi bebito_ , Leo!" The old man took baby Leo in his arms, chuckling with appreciation. "Ah, little Leo. Tell her for me, will you? I hoped I would be alive, but, ay, the curse won't have it! That lady, Doña Callida, she warned me. She said Hazel's great danger would not happen in my lifetime. But I promised I would be there for her. You will have to tell her I'm sorry, Leo. Help her if you can. Tell her I'm sorry I sold the diamond, eh? I broke my promise. When she disappeared in Alaska—ah, so long ago, I finally used that diamond, moved to Texas as I always dreamed. I started my machine shop. Started my family! It was a good life, but Hazel was right. The diamond came with a curse. I never saw her again. I have a feeling you are special, like Hazel was. You are more than a regular baby, eh? You will carry on for me. You will see her someday. Tell her hello for me."

The scene faded.

Leo was standing on the deck of the Argo II, holding Hazel's hand. Her eyes were puffy from crying. "Hello, Hazel Levesque," he said, his voice gravelly.

Her chin trembled. She turned away and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, the ship lurched to one side. Festus whirred in alarm and blew flames into the night sky. The ship's bell rang.

The ship tilted to starboard. Hazel gripped the rigging. Leo climbed the tilting deck and managed to grab the port rail. He started clambering sideways toward the helm, but when he saw the monster surface, he forgot how to move.

The thing was the length of their ship. It looked like a cross between a giant shrimp and a cockroach. It had a gaping toothless maw, and a forest of tentacles sprouting from each nostril.

Behind Leo, the rest of his friends stumbled up the stairs.

Andy yelled, "What's going—Gah! Shrimpzilla!"

Frank ran to Hazel's side. The monster rammed the ship again. The hull groaned. Anthony, Piper, and Lena tumbled to starboard and almost rolled overboard. Leo reached the helm. His hands flew across the controls.

"How did it get so close?" Anthony shouted.

"I'm stupid!" Leo scolded himself. "I forgot the sonar!"

The ship tilted farther to starboard.

"It doesn't matter!" Piper said. "Lena, can you call some lightning?"

Lena struggled to her feet. "I—" She only managed to shake her head.

"Andy!" Anthony said. "Can you talk to that thing? Do you know what it is?"

The daughter of the sea god shook her head, clearly mystified. "Maybe it's just curious about the ship. If we ignore it, maybe it'll go away!"

The monster's tendrils lashed across the deck so fast, Leo didn't even have time to yell, "Look out!"

One slammed Andy in the chest and sent her crashing down the steps. Another wrapped around Piper's legs and dragged her, screaming, toward the rail. Dozens more tendrils curled around the masts, encircling the crossbows and ripping down the rigging.

"Nose-hair attack!" Leo announced.

Lena drew her sword. She tried to free Piper, but she was still weak. Anthony unsheathed his dagger. He ran through the forest of tentacles, dodging and stabbing at whatever target he could find. Frank pulled out his bow. He fired over the side at the creature's body, lodging arrows in the chinks of its shell. The monster bellowed, and rocked the ship.

Leo's eyes fixed on a supply crate next to Hazel's feet. "Hazel!" he yelled. "That box! Open it!"

She hesitated, then saw the box he meant. The label read WARNING. DO NOT OPEN.

"Open it!" Leo yelled again. "Anthony, take the wheel! Turn us toward the monster, or we'll capsize."

Anthony bounded toward the helm and took the controls. "Hope you got a plan!" he shouted.

"A bad one." Leo raced toward the mast.

The monster pushed against the Argo II. The deck lurched to forty-five degrees. Despite everyone's efforts, the tentacles were just too numerous to fight. Andy hadn't appeared from below.

"Frank!" Leo called as he ran toward Hazel. "Buy us some time! Can you turn into a shark or something?" Frank glanced over, scowling; and in that moment a tentacle slammed into the big guy, knocking him overboard.

Hazel screamed. She'd opened the supply box and almost dropped the two glass vials she was holding. Leo caught them. Each was the size of an apple, and the liquid inside glowed poisonous green. "Come on!" He handed Hazel one of the vials. "We can kill the monster—and save Frank!"

Getting to the port rail was more like rock climbing than walking, but finally they made it.

"What is this stuff?" Hazel gasped, cradling her glass vial.

"Greek fire!"

Her eyes widened. "Are you crazy? If these break, we'll burn the whole ship!"

"Its mouth!" Leo said. "Just chuck it down its—" Suddenly Leo was crushed against Hazel, and the world turned sideways. As they were lifted into the air, he realized they'd been wrapped together in a tentacle. Leo's arms were free, but it was all he could do to keep hold of his Greek fire vial. Hazel struggled. Her arms were pinned, which meant at any moment the vial trapped between them might break.

"Leo," Hazel gasped, "I can't—my arms—"

"Hazel," he said. "Do you trust me?"

"No!"

"Good point. Me neither," Leo admitted. "When this thing drops us, hold your breath. Whatever you do, try to chuck your vial as far away from the ship as possible."

"Why—why would it drop us?"

Leo stared down at the monster's head. He pressed his right hand against the tentacle and summoned fire to his palm—a narrowly focused, white-hot burst. The monster raised its maw, bellowing in pain, and Leo threw his Greek fire straight down its throat.

They fell. He heard a muffled explosion and saw a green flash of light inside the giant pink lampshade of the monster's body. The water hit Leo's face like a brick wrapped in sandpaper, and he sank into darkness. He clamped his mouth shut, trying not to breathe, but he could feel himself losing consciousness.

* * *

When Leo woke up, he was underwater, in a cave about the size of a two-car garage. He didn't understand how he could be breathing with no air. Frank levitated nearby in meditation position. "Where are we?" Leo asked. "Where is everyone else?"

"Everyone?" Frank grumbled. "I don't know. As far as I can tell, it's just you and me and Hazel down here. The fish-horse guys took Hazel about an hour ago, leaving me with you."

Frank's tone made it obvious he didn't approve of those arrangements. He didn't look injured, but Leo realized that he no longer had his bow or quiver. In a panic, Leo patted his waist. His tool belt was gone.

"They searched us," Frank said. "Took anything that could be a weapon."

"Who?" Leo demanded. "Who are these fish-horse—?"

"Fish-horse guys," Frank clarified. "They must have grabbed us when we fell in the ocean and dragged us—wherever this is."

"The shrimp monster. The Argo II—is the ship okay?"

"I don't know," Frank said darkly. "The others might be in trouble or hurt, or—or worse. But I guess you care more about your ship than your friends."

"What kind of stupid thing—?"

"I saw you," Frank said. "You and Hazel. I saw you."

Suddenly Leo found it hard to meet Frank's gaze. "Look, man—I'm sorry. It's not what you think though. She was showing me this flashback from her past, trying to figure out my connection with Sammy."

Frank's angry expression was replaced by curiosity. "Did she—did you figure it out?"

"Yeah. Well, sort of. We didn't get a chance to talk about it afterward because of Shrimpzilla, but Sammy was my great-grandfather." He told Frank what they'd seen.

"Hazel—Hazel liked your great-grandfather? That's why she likes you?"

"Frank, I know this is weird. Believe me. But I don't like Hazel—not that way. I'm not moving in on your girl."

Frank knit his eyebrows. "No?"

"No." Leo hoped he wasn't blushing. "Right, so…" He looked around him. "We need to make a plan. How are we breathing? If we're under the ocean, shouldn't we be crushed by the water pressure?"

Frank shrugged. "Fish-horse magic, I guess. I remember the green guy touching my head with the point of a dagger. Then I could breathe."

Leo studied the abalone door. "Can you bust us out? Turn into a hammerhead shark or something?"

Frank shook his head glumly. "My shape-shifting doesn't work. I don't know why. Maybe they cursed me, or maybe I'm too messed up to focus."

"Hazel could be in trouble," Leo said. "We've got to get out of here." He swam to the door of the cave. He concentrated, and fire flickered over his fingers. Out of his control, it raced up his arm and over his body until he was completely shrouded in a thin veil of flame.

"Leo!" Frank flailed backward and hugged the wall to get as far away as possible.

Leo forced himself to stay calm. He willed the flames to die and counted to five.

Frank stopped trying to merge with the cave wall. "You're—you're okay?"

"Yeah," Leo grumbled. "Thanks for the assist."

"I—I'm sorry." Frank looked so horrified and ashamed it was hard for Leo to stay mad at him. "I just—what happened?"

"Clever magic," Leo said. "There's a thin layer of oxygen around us, like an extra skin. Must be self-regenerating. That's how we're breathing and staying dry. The oxygen gave the fire fuel."

"I really don't..." Frank gulped. "I don't like that fire summoning you do."

"I'm not going to attack you. Anyway, my mom died in a fire. I understand being afraid of it. Did, uh, did something like that happen with you?"

"My house—my grandmother's place. It burned down. But it's more than that..." Frank stared at the sea urchins on the floor. "Anthony said I could trust the crew. Even you."

"Even me, huh? Wow, high praise."

"My weakness..." Frank started. "There's this piece of firewood—"

The abalone door rolled open. Leo turned and found himself face-to-face with the creature. It was a green, bare-chested dude with a dagger in his belt. He had the forelegs of a blue-green horse and a long fishy tail. "I am Bythos," said the green man. "I will interrogate Frank Zhang."

"Why did you capture us?" Leo demanded. "Where's Hazel?"

Bythos narrowed his eyes. "You, Leo Valdez, will go with my brother."

"Your brother?" Leo realized that a much larger figure was looming behind Bythos.

"Yes," Bythos said with a dry smile. "Try not to make Aphros mad."

"So what are you guys, exactly?" Leo asked.

"Ichthyocentaurs," Aphros said.

"Uh, icky what?"

"Fish centaurs. We are the half brothers of Chiron."

"Oh, he's a friend of mine!"

Aphros narrowed his eyes. "The one called Hazel told us this, but we will determine the truth. Come."

He followed the fish centaur through a massive forest of kelp. They drifted along for maybe half a mile. Finally the kelp forest opened up. Leo gasped. Below them stretched an entire town of Greek-style buildings on the seafloor.

"It's a training camp," Leo realized. He looked at Aphros in awe. "You train heroes, the same way Chiron does?"

Aphros nodded, a glint of pride in his eyes. "We have trained all the famous mer-heroes! Name a mer-hero, and we have trained him or her!"

"Oh, sure," Leo said. "I'm sure I can think of one—um, Ariel, the Little Mermaid?"

Aphros frowned. "Who? No! Triton, Glaucus, Weissmuller, and Bill!"

"Oh." Leo faked enthusiasm. "You trained Bill? Impressive."

"Indeed!" Aphros pounded his chest. "I trained Bill myself. A great merman."

"You teach combat, I guess."

Aphros threw up his hands in exasperation. "Why does everyone assume that?"

Leo glanced at the massive sword on the fish-guy's back. "Uh, I don't know."

"I teach music and poetry!" Aphros said. "Life skills! Homemaking! These are important for heroes."

"Absolutely." Leo tried to keep a straight face. "Sewing? Cookie baking?"

"Yes. I'm glad you understand. Perhaps later, if I don't have to kill you, I will share my brownie recipe. My brother Bythos—he teaches combat."

"So, great. This is Camp—what do you call it? Camp Fish-Blood?"

Aphros frowned. "I hope that was a joke. This is Camp—" He made a bizarre sound.

"Silly me," Leo said. "And, you know, I could really go for some of those brownies! So what do we have to do to get to the not killing me stage?"

"Tell me your story," Aphros said.

Leo hesitated, but not for long. He told the guy everything that had happened to lead them there.

"Very well," Aphros said. "I believe you."

"As simple as that?"

"I am quite good at discerning lies. I hear none from you. Your story also fits with what Hazel Levesque told us."

"Is she—?"

"Of course. She's fine." He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled. "My people will bring her here shortly. You must understand, our location is a carefully guarded secret. You and your friends showed up in a warship, pursued by one of Keto's sea monsters. We did not know whose side you were on."

"Is the ship alright?"

"Damaged,, but not terribly. The skolopendra withdrew after it got a mouthful of fire. Nice touch."

"Thank you. Skolopendra? Never heard of it."

"Consider yourself lucky. They are nasty creatures. Keto must really hate you. At any rate, we rescued you and the other two from the creature's tentacles as it retreated into the deep. Your friends are still above, searching for you; but we have obscured their vision. We had to be sure you were not a threat. Otherwise, we would have had to... take measures."

"So we can go?"

"Soon," Aphros promised. "I must check with Bythos. When he is done talking with your friend Gank—"

"Frank."

"Frank. When they are done, we will send you back to your ship. And we may have some warnings for you."

"Warnings?"

"Ah." Aphros pointed. Hazel emerged from the kelp forest, escorted by two vicious-looking mermaids, who were baring their fangs and hissing.

"Leo!" Hazel paddled toward him. "Isn't this place amazing?"

They were left alone at the ridge, which must have meant Aphros really did trust them.

"We didn't get to talk," Leo said. "I mean about Sammy."

Her smile faded. "I know. I just need some time to let it sink in. It's strange to think that you and he..."

"I talked to Frank," Leo said. "Turns out he saw us. I told him I wasn't trying to... you know. Make trouble between you two."

"Oh. Good."

"Frank, um, seemed pretty freaked out when I summoned fire." Leo explained what had happened in the cave.

Hazel looked stunned. "Oh, no. That would terrify him." Her hand went to her denim jacket.

Leo frowned. "While I was in Camp Half-Blood... I heard a story... I tend to pay attention to legends about , there was an old legend about a hero. His lifeline was tied to a stick in a fireplace, and when that piece of wood burned up..."

Hazel's expression turned dark.

"Frank has that problem," Leo guessed. "And the piece of firewood..." He pointed at Hazel's jacket. "He gave it to you for safekeeping?"

"Leo, please don't—I can't talk about it."

"Is the firewood okay in the ocean like this? Does the layer of air around you protect it?"

"It's fine," Hazel said. "The wood didn't even get wet. Besides, it's wrapped up in several layers of cloth and plastic and—" She bit her lip in frustration. "And I'm not supposed to talk about it! Leo, the point is if Frank seems afraid of you, or uneasy, you've got to understand..."

"There you are!" Bythos's voice made Leo flinch. Bythos and Aphros floated over with Frank between them, looking pale but okay. "You are free to go," Bythos said. He opened his saddlebags and returned their confiscated supplies.

"Tell Andy Jackson not to worry," Aphros said. "We have understood your story about the imprisoned sea creatures in Atlanta. Keto and Phorcys must be stopped. We will send a quest of mer-heroes to defeat them and free their captives. Perhaps Cyrus?"

"Or Bill," Bythos offered.

"Yes! Bill would be perfect," Aphros agreed. "At any rate, we are grateful that Andy brought this to our attention." Then he smiled at Leo. "And I have gifts for you, the brave navigator of the Argo II!"

"I like to think of myself as captain," Leo said. "Or supreme commander."

"Brownies!" Aphros said proudly, shoving an old-fashioned picnic basket into Leo's arms. "And I've given you a letter of introduction to Tiberinus, the god of the Tiber River. Once you reach Rome, your friend the son of Athena will need this."

"Anthony…" Leo said. "Okay, but why?"

Bythos laughed. "He follows the Mark of Athena, doesn't he? Tiberinus can guide him in this quest. He's an ancient, proud god who can be… difficult; but letters of introduction are everything to Roman spirits. This will convince Tiberinus to help him. Hopefully. And now, off with you, demigods! Good sailing!"

Leo, Hazel and Frank began to rise through the water. They gained speed and rocketed toward the distant glow of the sun above.


	43. Nothing Further Beyond

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part VII — _Folks line up just to watch him flex and this perfect package packed a pair of pretty pecs._

* * *

Anthony and Buford, the table, rushed around repairing things so that the ship wouldn't sink. Andy, despite being exhausted, searched the ocean for their missing friends. Lena, also exhausted, flew around the rigging putting out fires.

By the time the sun rose, none of them had slept. The Argo II was no longer in danger of sinking, though without Leo, they couldn't do full repairs. Piper and Anthony sent a dream vision to Camp Half-Blood, warning Chiron of everything that had happened so far.

When the others returned—Piper went a little crazy. She hugged Leo and kissed him on the cheek, which kind of surprised him. "Miss me?" Leo laughed.

Piper was furious. "Where were you? How are you guys alive?"

"Long story. Want a brownie?"

The seven of them ate as Leo, Hazel and Frank told their story.

"Incredible," Lena said. "These are really good brownies."

"That's your only comment?" Piper demanded.

She looked surprised. "What? I heard the story. Fish-centaurs. Merpeople. Letter of intro to the Tiber River god. Got it. But these brownies—"

"I know," Frank said, his mouth full. "Try them with Esther's peach preserves."

"That," Hazel said, "is incredibly disgusting."

"Pass me the jar, man," Lena said.

Hazel and Piper were shaking their heads.

"Hold up," Andy said. "There's just something I'm having difficulty understanding. They didn't want to meet me?"

"It wasn't like that," Hazel quickly assured her. "Just... Well, the good news is they're taking care of that aquarium in Atlanta. And they'll help protect the Argo II as we cross the Atlantic."

Andy nodded absently. "But they didn't want to meet me? How is that even—"

Anthony swatted her arm. "Come on, Seaweed Brain! We've got other things to worry about."

"He's right," Hazel said. "After today, Nico has less than two days. The fish-centaurs said we have to rescue him. He's essential to the quest somehow."

"Nico must have information about the Doors of Death," Piper said. "We'll save him, Hazel. We can make it in time. Right, Leo?"

"What?" Leo tore his eyes away from the controls. "Oh, yeah. We should reach the Mediterranean tomorrow morning. Then spend the rest of that day sailing to Rome, or flying, if I can get the stabilizer fixed by then..."

"Which will put us in Rome on the last possible day for Nico," Lena said. "Twenty-four hours to find him—at most."

Andy crossed her legs and stared at her boyfriend. "What about the Mark of Athena?"

Anthony opened his bag and brought out a thin bronze disk the diameter of a donut. "This is the map that I found at Fort Sumter. It's..." He stopped abruptly, staring at the smooth bronze surface. "It's blank!"

Andy took it and examined both sides. "It wasn't like this earlier?"

"No! I was looking at it in my cabin and..." Anthony muttered under his breath. "It must be like the Mark of Athena. I can only see it when I'm alone. It won't show itself to other demigods."

"What did it have on it?" Frank asked nervously. "And what is the Mark of Athena? I still don't get it."

Anthony took the disk from Andy. "The map was hard to read, but it showed a spot on the Tiber River in Rome. I think that's where my quest starts—the path I've got to take to follow the Mark."

"Maybe that's where you meet the river god Tiberinus," Piper said. "But what is the Mark?"

"The coin," Anthony murmured.

Andy frowned. "What coin?"

Anthony dug into his pocket and brought out a silver drachma. "I've been carrying this ever since I saw my mom at Grand Central. It's an Athenian coin." He passed it around.

"An owl," Leo noted. "Well, that makes sense. I guess the branch is an olive branch? But what's this inscription, ΑΘΕ—Area Of Effect?"

"It's alpha, theta, epsilon," Anthony said. "In Greek it stands for Of The Athenians—or you could read it as the children of Athena. It's sort of the Athenian motto."

"Like SPQR for the Romans," Piper guessed.

Anthony nodded. "Anyway, the Mark of Athena is an owl, just like that one. It appears in fiery red. I've seen it in my dreams. Then twice at Fort Sumter." He described what had happened at the fort.

Andy looked disgusted. "I'm sorry you were alone for that."

"But that's the point," he said. "No one can be there with me. When I get to Rome, I'll have to strike out on my own. Otherwise, the Mark won't appear. I'll have to follow it to—to the source."

" _'The giants' bane stands gold and pale, won with pain from a woven jail.'_ " Frank looked up at Anthony. "What is it—this thing at the source?"

"A statue," Lena said. "A statue of Athena. At least... that's my guess."

Piper frowned. "You said you didn't know."

"I don't. But the more I think about it… there's only one artifact that could fit the legend." She turned to Anthony. "I'm sorry. I should have told you everything I've heard, much earlier. But honestly, I was scared. If this legend is true—"

"I know," Anthony said. "I figured it out, Lena. But if we manage to save the statue, Greek and Romans together—It could heal the rift."

"What statue is this again?" Andy asked.

Anthony took back the silver coin and slipped it into his pocket. "The Athena Parthenos," he said. "The most famous Greek statue of all time. It was forty feet tall, covered in ivory and gold. It stood in the middle of the Parthenon in Athens."

"Okay, I'll bite," Leo said. "What happened to it?"

"It disappeared," Anthony said.

Leo frowned. "How does a forty-foot-tall statue in the middle of the Parthenon just disappear?"

"That's a good question," Anthony said. "It's one of the biggest mysteries in history. Some people thought the statue was melted down for its gold, or destroyed by invaders. Athens was sacked a number of times. Some thought the statue was carried off—"

"By Romans," Lena finished. "At least, that's one theory, and it fits the legend I heard at Camp Jupiter. To break the Greeks' spirit, the Romans carted off the Athena Parthenos when they took over the city of Athens. They hid it in an underground shrine in Rome. The Roman demigods swore it would never see the light of day. They literally stole Athena, so she could no longer be the symbol of Greek military power. She became Minerva, a much tamer goddess."

"And the children of Athena have been searching for the statue ever since," Anthony said. "Most don't know about the legend, but in each generation, a few are chosen by the goddess. They're given a coin like mine. They follow the Mark of Athena—a kind of magical trail that links them to the statue—hoping to find the resting place of the Athena Parthenos and get the statue back."

Piper watched the two of them—Anthony and Lena—with quiet amazement. They spoke like a team, without any hostility or blame.

Andy had a surprised expression. "So if we—I mean you—find the statue—what would we do with it? Could we even move it?"

"I'm not sure," Anthony admitted. "But if we could save it somehow, it could unite the two camps. It could heal my mother of this hatred she's got, tearing her two aspects apart. And maybe—maybe the statue has some sort of power that could help us against the giants."

Piper stared at Anthony with awe, appreciating the huge responsibility he had taken on. "This could change everything," she said. "It could end thousands of years of hostility. It might be the key to defeating Gaea. But if we can't help you..."

"I have to succeed," Anthony said simply. "The risk is worth it."

Hazel twirled her hair pensively. "I don't like the idea of you risking your life alone, but you're right. We saw what recovering the golden eagle standard did for the Roman legion. If this statue is the most powerful symbol of Athena ever created—"

"It could kick some serious booty," Leo offered.

Hazel frowned. "That wasn't the way I'd put it, but yes."

"Except... No child of Athena has ever found it," Andy said. "Anthony, what is down there? What's guarding it? If it's got to do with spiders—?"

" _'Won through pain from a woven jail,'_ " Frank recalled. "Woven, like webs?"

Anthony's face turned as white as printer paper. He swallowed hard.

"We'll deal with that when we get to Rome," Piper suggested. "It's going to work out. Anthony is going to kick some serious booty, too. You'll see."

"Yeah," Andy said trying to sound enthusiastic. "That he will."

Anthony looked at them both gratefully.

"Well!" Leo said. "Good pep rally, but there's still a ton of things to fix on this ship before we get to the Mediterranean. Please report to Supreme Commander Leo for your super fun list of chores!"

* * *

As she watched Lena work, Piper admired how easily she did each task, like nothing could challenge her to failure.

"What are you thinking?" Lena asked, catching her eye. She was looking a little better now, brighter, lighter.

"Nothing," Piper said. "I mean… a lot of things. Kind of all at once."

Lena laughed. "It's going to work out, Pipes. You said so yourself."

"Yeah. Except I was just saying that to make Anthony feel better."

Lena shrugged. "Still, it's true. We're almost to the ancient lands. We've left the Romans behind."

"And now they're on their way to Camp Half-Blood to attack our friends."

Lena hesitated. "Chiron will find a way to stall them. The Romans might take weeks to actually find the camp and plan their attack. Besides, Reyna will do what she can to slow things down. She's still on our side. I know she is."

"You trust her."

"Look, Pipes." Lena stopped what she was doing so she could look at Piper. "I told you, you've got nothing to be jealous about. I'm serious."

"But she's so... She's so… Roman."

Lena took her hand, which sent a tingle up her arm. "We're a team, Pipes, you and me."

Above them, the ship's bell rang for dinner.

Lena smirked. "We'd better get up there."

"Yeah," Piper said regretfully. "I guess we need dinner."

* * *

The next morning Piper woke to a blast so loud it literally shook her out of bed. By the time she and Lena got up on deck, the others had already gathered.

About a hundred yards to port, a massive cruise ship glided past. Tourists waved at them from fifteen or sixteen rows of balconies. Some smiled and took pictures. The cruise ship blew its horn again, and the Argo II had a shaking fit.

Andy moaned. "Do they have to be so loud?"

"They're just saying hi," Frank speculated.

The ship edged past them, heading out to sea.

"Bye!" Andy called. "Go to hell! Waking me up like that—what are they thinking? The things I have to put up with... And the Ichthyocentaurs not wanting to meet me. Please. Like they could find a better daughter of the sea!" Andy went on mumbling and complaining. The closer they got to the ancient lands, the grumpier she seemed to get.

Hazel rubbed her eyes and looked across the glittering green water. "Where are—oh—Wow."

Piper followed her gaze and gasped. She saw a mountain jutting from the sea. The mountain sloped in tiers, covered in green forest.

"The Rock of Gibraltar," Anthony said in awe. "At the tip of Spain. And over there—" She pointed south, to a more distant stretch of red and ochre hills. "That must be Africa. We're at the mouth of the Mediterranean."

"What now?" Piper asked. "Do we just sail in?"

"Why not?" Leo said. "It's a big shipping channel. Boats go in and out all the time."

"In the old days," Anthony said, "they called this area the pillars of Hercules. The Rock was supposed to be one pillar. The other was one of the African mountains. Nobody is sure which one."

"Hercules, huh?" Andy frowned. "Everywhere you turn—there he is. I bet the Ichthyocentaurs would want to meet him!"

"So these Pillars of Hercules. Are they dangerous?" Piper asked.

Anthony stayed focused on the white cliffs. "For Greeks, the pillars marked the end of the known world. The Romans said the pillars were inscribed with a Latin warning—"

" _Non plus ultra,_ " Andy said. Everybody stared at her.

Anthony looked stunned. "Yeah. Nothing Further Beyond. How did you know?"

Andy pointed ahead. "Because I'm looking at it."

Directly ahead of them, in the middle of the straits, an island had shimmered into existence. It was a small hilly mass of land, covered in forests and ringed with white beaches and jutting from waves about a hundred yards offshore, were two white Grecian columns as tall as the Argo's masts.

"Guys, do I turn around?" Leo asked nervously. "Or..."

As the ship approached the columns, they saw a dark-haired man in purple robes, his arms crossed, staring intently at their ship as if he were expecting them.

Frank inhaled sharply. "Could that be—?"

"Hercules," Lena said. "The most powerful demigod of all time."

"Need an answer," Leo said urgently. "I can turn, or we can take off. The stabilizers are working again. But I need to know quick—"

"We have to keep going," Anthony said. "I think he's guarding these straits. If that's really Hercules, sailing or flying away wouldn't do any good. He'll want to talk to us."

"Won't Hercules be on our side?" Piper asked hopefully. "I mean, he's one of us, right?"

Lena grunted. "He was a son of Zeus, but when he died, he became a god. You can never be sure with gods."

"Great," Andy said. "Seven of us against Hercules. We will end him!"

"Maybe you should stop shouting..." offered Frank.

"I've got a better idea," Anthony said. "We send ambassadors ashore. A small group—one or two at most. Try to talk with him."

"I'll go," Lena said. "He's a son of Zeus. I'm the daughter of Jupiter. Maybe he'll be friendly to me."

"Or maybe he'll hate you," Andy suggested. "Half brothers don't always get along."

Lena scowled. "What's wrong with you today?" Andy shrugged, obviously pissed off. Piper was also wondering what could be putting her so on edge, but she knew better than to ask.

"It's worth a shot," said Anthony who was vehemently ignoring his girlfriend's tantrums. "At least Lena and Hercules have something in common. And we need our best diplomat. Somebody who's good with words."

All eyes turned to Piper. "Fine," she sighed.

* * *

Once Leo had anchored the Argo II between the pillars, Lena summoned the wind to carry her and Piper ashore.

Hercules was waiting for them. His feet were bare. His beard was fashionably scruffy. He was well built, but not too stocky. His ebony hair was close-cropped, Roman style. He had startling blue eyes like Lena's and Thalia's, but his skin was coppery. He had a club, which lay in the sand next to him.

Lena and Piper landed at the edge of the surf. They approached slowly. Hercules watched them with no particular emotion. "Hello," Piper said. "I'm Piper. This is Lena. We—"

"Where's your lion skin?" Lena interrupted.

"It's ninety degrees out here," Hercules said amused.

"Right." Lena sounded disappointed. "It's just that the pictures always show you with a lion skin."

"Don't believe everything you hear about me. Daughter of Zeus, eh?"

"Jupiter," Lena said.

"Not much difference," Hercules grumbled. "Dad's annoying in either form. As for you, my dear," Hercules said turning to Piper, "be careful. Children of Zeus can be… well, never mind."

"So, Lord Hercules," she said, "we're on a quest. We'd like permission to pass into the Mediterranean."

The god scratched his fashionable beard. "Not just any demigod can survive the Mare Nostrum. Because of that, I have to give you a quest to complete. Prove your worth, blah, blah, blah. Honestly, I don't make a big deal of it. Usually I give demigods something simple like a shopping trip, singing a funny song, that sort of thing. After all those labors I had to complete for my evil cousin Eurystheus, well—I don't want to be that guy, you know?"

"Appreciate it," Lena said.

"Hey, no problem." Hercules sounded relaxed and easygoing. "So anyway, what's your quest?"

"Giants," Lena said. "We're off to Greece to stop them from awakening Gaea."

"Giants," Hercules muttered. "I hate those guys. Back when I was a demigod hero—ah, but never mind. So which god put you up to this—Dad? Athena? Maybe Aphrodite?" He raised an eyebrow at Piper. "Pretty as you are, I'm guessing that's your mom."

"Hera sent us," Lena said sounding like she wanted Hercules to focus on her, not on Piper. Piper wondered if that was her being jealous and protective. "She brought us together to—"

"Hera." His face darkened.

"We hate her too," Piper said quickly. "We didn't want to help her. She didn't give us much choice, but—"

"But here you are," Hercules said, all friendliness gone. "Sorry, you two. I don't care how worthy your quest is. I don't do anything that Hera wants. Ever."

Lena looked mystified. "But I thought you made up with her when you became a god."

"Like I said, don't believe everything you hear. If you want to pass into the Mediterranean, I'm afraid I've got to give you an extra-hard quest."

"But we're siblings," Lena protested. "Hera's messed with my life, too. I understand—"

"You understand nothing," Hercules said coldly. "My first family: dead. My life wasted on ridiculous quests. My second wife dead, after being tricked into poisoning me and leaving me to a painful demise."

Piper turned on the charmspeak. "That's horribly sad, Lord Hercules. But please go easy on us. We're not bad people."

Hercules hesitated. "On the opposite side of this island, over those hills, you'll find a river. In the middle of that river lives the old god Achelous. I want you to break off his other horn and bring it to me."

"He has horns," Lena said. "Wait—his other horn? What—?"

"Figure it out," the god snapped. "Here, this should help." Hercules took a small book and tossed it to Piper.

The title read: _The Hercules Guide to the Mare Nostrum._

"Bring me that horn by sundown. Just the two of you. No contacting your friends. Your ship will remain where it is. If you succeed, you may pass into the Mediterranean."

"And if we don't?" Piper asked.

"Well, Achelous will kill you, obviously. And I will break your ship in half with my bare hands and send your friends to an early grave."

Lena shifted her feet. "Couldn't we just sing a funny song?"

"I'd get going," Hercules said coldly. "Sundown. Or your friends are dead."

* * *

They tromped up a hill and down into a heavily wooded valley, careful to avoid the black-and-red-striped snakes sunning themselves on the rocks. So far they hadn't found any river.

"We could fly," Lena suggested again.

"We might miss something," Piper said. "Besides, I'm not sure I want to drop in on an unfriendly god. What was his name? Etch-a-Sketch?"

"Achelous." Lena was trying to read the guidebook while they walked, so she kept running into trees and stumbling over rocks. "Says here he's a potamus."

"He's a hippopotamus?"

"No. Potamus. A river god. According to this, he's the spirit of some river in Greece."

"Since we're not in Greece, let's assume he's moved," Piper said. "Doesn't bode well for how useful that book is going to be. Anything else?"

"Says Hercules fought him one time," Lena offered.

"Hercules fought ninety-nine percent of everything in Ancient Greece."

"Let's see," Lena flipped a page. "Here's a tiny reference to Achelous: This river god fought Hercules for the hand of the beautiful Deianira. During the struggle, Hercules broke off one of the river god's horns, which became the first cornucopia."

"And we're supposed to take his other one. I'm guessing that won't be so easy. Who was Deianira?"

"Hercules married her. I think… doesn't say here. But I think something bad happened to her."

They trudged across a ridge between two hills, trying to stay in the shade; but Piper was already soaked with perspiration. She was irritated with Lena for having mentioned Hera, but she knew she shouldn't blame her. Maybe she was just irritated with her in general. She'd been carrying around a lot of worry and resentment.

And after seeing the tension between Andy and Anthony, Piper wasn't so sure things would turn out right. At first sight, she had been sure those two would never fight each other.

"Stop," Lena said.

Piper wasn't sure what was wrong. Then she realized she could hear running water up ahead. They crept through the trees and found themselves on the bank of a river. A few yards downstream, the rapids plunged into a dark blue swimming hole.

The more Piper listened, the more inviting the river seemed. She wanted to take a drink. Maybe she should take off her shoes. Her feet could really use a soak. Piper shook herself. These thoughts weren't hers. Something was wrong. It almost felt like the river was charmspeaking.

Lena sat on a rock and started taking off her shoes. She grinned at the swimming hole like she couldn't wait to get in.

"Cut it out!" Piper yelled at the river.

Lena looked startled. "Cut what out?"

"Not you," Piper said. "Him."

"Forgive me. Singing is one of the few pleasures I have left." A figure emerged from the swimming hole as if rising on an elevator. It was a bull with a human face. His skin was as blue as the water. His hooves levitated on the river's surface. At the top of his bovine neck was the head of a man with short curly black hair, mournful eyes behind bifocal glasses, and a mouth that seemed set in a permanent pout. Sprouting from the left side of his head was a single bull's horn. "Hello," he said sadly.

"You're Achelous?" Piper asked while Lena put her shoes back on and stood slowly.

The bull-man bent his front legs and lowered his head in a bow, which Piper found both sweet and a little sad. "At your service."

"I'm Piper. This is Lena. We don't want to fight. It's just that Heracles—Hercules—whoever he is, got mad at us and sent us here." She explained about their quest to the ancient lands to stop the giants from waking Gaea.

Achelous regarded her as if she were developing a regrettable skin rash. "Poor thing. Another girl stuck with a child of Zeus."

"Wait a minute," Lena said. "It's Jupiter, actually. And how does that make her a poor thing?"

Achelous ignored her. "My girl, do you know the cause of my fight with Hercules?"

"It was over a woman," Piper recalled. "Deianira?"

"Yes." Achelous heaved a sigh. "And do you know what happened to her?" He pawed the water. A scroll shot from the river like a miniature rocket and landed in front of him. He nudged it open with his hooves. The weathered yellow parchment unfurled, covered with faded Latin script and elaborate hand-drawn pictures. "Now," Achelous said, tapping a picture on his scroll. "This is Deianira."

Piper knelt down to look. The hand-painted portrait was small, but she could tell the woman had been very beautiful, with long dark hair, dark eyes, and a playful smile that probably drove guys crazy.

"Princess of Calydon," the river god said mournfully. "She was promised to me, until Hercules butted in. He insisted on combat."

"And he broke off your horn?" Lena guessed.

"Yes. I could never forgive him for that. Horribly uncomfortable, having only one horn. But the situation was worse for poor Deianira. She could have had a long, happy life married to me. Instead, she went off with Hercules. She picked the handsome, flashy hero over the good, faithful husband who would have treated her well. The moral is, my dear, beware the children of Zeus."

Piper couldn't look at her girlfriend. She wasn't sure she could mask the uneasiness in her eyes. Lena would never be like Hercules. But the story played into all her fears. Hera had manipulated their relationship, just as she had manipulated Hercules.

The bull-man tapped the scroll, which rolled itself up and sank into the water. "Hercules wants my other horn in order to humiliate me. Perhaps it would make him feel better about himself, knowing that I'm miserable too."

Lena stirred. "I'm sorry, Achelous. Honestly, you've gotten a bum deal. But maybe… well, without the other horn, you might not be so lopsided. It might feel better."

"Lena!" Piper protested.

Lena held up her hands. "Just a thought. Besides, I don't see that we have many choices. If Hercules doesn't get that horn, he'll kill us and our friends."

"She's right," Achelous said. "You have no choice. Which is why I hope you'll forgive me."

Piper frowned. "Forgive you for what?"

"I have no choice either. I have to stop you." The river exploded, and a wall of water crashed over Piper.

The current grabbed her like a fist and pulled her into the deep. Struggling was useless. She clamped her mouth shut, forcing herself not to inhale, but she could barely keep from panicking. Then, as suddenly as she'd been pulled under, she was thrust to the surface. She found herself at the center of a whirlpool, able to breathe but unable to break free.

A few yards away, Lena broke the surface and gasped, her sword in one hand. She swung wildly, but there was nothing to attack.

Achelous rose from the water. "I'm really sorry about this," he said.

Lena lunged toward him, summoning the winds to lift her out of the river, but Achelous was quicker and more powerful. A curl of water slammed into Lena and sent her under once more.

"Stop it!" Piper screamed. Using charmspeak wasn't easy when she was floundering in a whirlpool, but she got Achelous's attention.

"I'm afraid I can't stop. I can't let Hercules have my other horn. It would be mortifying."

"There's another way!" Piper said. "You don't have to kill us!"

Lena clawed her way to the surface again. A miniature storm cloud formed over her head. Thunder boomed.

"None of that, child of sky and storm," Achelous chided. "If you call lightning, you'll just electrocute your girlfriend."

The water pulled Lena under again.

"Let her go!" Piper charged her voice with all the persuasiveness she could muster. "I promise I won't let Hercules get the horn!"

Achelous hesitated. He cantered over to her, his head tilting to the left. "I believe you mean that."

"I do! Hercules is despicable. But, please, first let her go!"

Achelous expression softened. "I see. You would be my Deianira. You would be my bride to compensate for my loss."

"What?" Piper wasn't sure if she'd heard him right. The whirlpool was literally making her head spin. "Uh, actually I was thinking—"

"Oh, I understand. You were too modest to suggest this in front of your girlfriend. You are right, of course. I would treat you much better than a child of Zeus would. I could make things right after all these centuries. I could not save Deianira, but I could save you. We could be quite happy together. Let's start by letting that Lena fellow drown, eh?"

Piper had to concentrate. She masked her fear and her anger. She was a child of Aphrodite. She had to use the tools she was given. So she smiled as sweetly as she could and raised her arms. "Lift me up, please."

Achelous's face brightened. He grabbed Piper's hands and pulled her out of the whirlpool. She used her momentum, swinging one leg over Achelous's back. Then she locked her ankles around his neck, wrapped one arm around his throat, and drew her knife with the other. She pressed the blade under the river god's chin. "Let—her—go." She put all her force into the command. "Now!"

Lena shot out of the water like a human cannonball. She broke through the branches of an olive tree and tumbled onto the grass. That couldn't have felt good, but she struggled to her feet, gasping and coughing. She raised her sword, and the dark clouds thickened over the river.

Piper shot her a warning look. Achelous arched his back as if contemplating a trick. Piper pressed the knife harder against his throat. "Be a good bull," she warned.

"You promised," Achelous said through gritted teeth. "You promised Hercules wouldn't get my horn."

"And he won't. But I will." Piper raised her knife and slashed off the god's horn. The Celestial bronze cut through the base like it was wet clay. Achelous bellowed in rage. Before he could recover, Piper stood up on his back. With the horn in one hand and her dagger in the other, she leaped for the shore. "Lena!" she yelled.

Thank the gods, she understood. A gust of wind caught her and carried her safely over the bank. Piper hit the ground rolling as the hairs on her neck stood up. A metallic smell filled the air. Lightning stirred the water into a boiling cauldron, steaming and hissing with electricity. Piper blinked the yellow spots out of her eyes as the god Achelous wailed and dissolved beneath the surface.

Piper was still dizzy and sick with fear, but she and Lena crashed through the woods. They didn't slow down until they reached the crest of the hill. The sun was nearing the horizon. They had to get back to Hercules quickly, or their friends would die.

"Achelous forced your hand," Lena said. "If you had to lie about not giving the horn to Hercules, well—"

"I wasn't lying."

Lena stared at her. "Pipes… we don't have a choice. Hercules will kill—"

"Hercules doesn't deserve this." Piper wasn't sure where this rage was coming from, but she had never felt more certain of anything in her life.

Hercules was a bitter, selfish jerk. Lena would never be like that. She would never blame others for her problems or make a grudge more important than doing the right thing.

Piper was not going to repeat Deianira's story. She wasn't going to go along with what Hercules wanted just because he was handsome and strong and scary. Piper was going to put him in his place. "I have a plan," she said.

She told Lena what to do. She didn't even realize she was using charmspeak until Lena's eyes glazed over. "Whatever you say," she promised. Then she blinked a few times. "We're going to die, but I'm in."

Hercules was waiting right where they'd left him. He was staring at the Argo II, docked between the pillars as the sun set behind it.

Too late to reconsider. She'd already sent an Iris-message to Leo.

"Good," said Hercules when he saw her. "You got it. In that case, you are free to go."

Piper glanced at Lena. "You heard him. He gave us permission." She turned back to the god. "That means our ship will be able to pass into the Mediterranean?"

"Yes, yes." Hercules snapped his fingers. "Now, the horn."

"No," Piper said.

The god frowned. "Excuse me?"

She raised the cornucopia. "Achelous was right. You're his curse as much as he is yours. You're a sorry excuse for a hero."

Hercules stared at her as if she were speaking in Japanese. "You realize I could kill you with a flick of my finger. I could throw my club at your ship and cut straight through its hull. I could—"

"You could shut up," Lena said. She drew her sword.

The veins on Hercules's neck turned as purple as his robes. "You would not be the first demigod I've killed."

"Lena is better than you," Piper said. "But don't worry. We're not going to fight you. We're going to leave this island with the horn. You don't deserve it as a prize. I'm going to keep it, to remind me of what not to be like as a demigod, and to remind me of poor Achelous and Deianira."

The god's nostrils flared. "Do not mention that name! You can't seriously think I'm worried about your puny girlfriend. No one is stronger than me."

"I didn't say stronger. I said she's better." Piper pointed the mouth of the horn at Hercules. She let go of resentment. She concentrated on all the good things she'd shared with Lena Grace. She filled her heart with beautiful thoughts, and she felt the cornucopia grow warm.

The horn blasted forth a flood of food that completely buried Hercules. Piper heard Hercules shrieking and struggling somewhere underneath. Lena grabbed Piper's waist and summoned the wind. They shot away from the island.

Lena touched down on the deck of the Argo II. Thankfully, Leo had done his part. The ship's oars were already in aerial mode. By the time the god regained his feet and started lobbing coconuts at them from far below, the Argo II was already sailing through the clouds above the Mediterranean.


	44. Love That Let's Go

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part VIII — _They say, have courage and I'm trying to. I'm right out here for you, just let me in._

* * *

Andy was not feeling the love.

Bad enough she'd been run out of Atlanta by evil sea gods. Then she had failed to stop a giant shrimp attack on the Argo II. Then the ichthyocentaurs hadn't even wanted to meet her. They had arrived at the Pillars of Hercules, the most famous demigod of all time, and Andy didn't get to meet him either.

And to add to all that, Anthony was pushing her away and keeping things from her. He spent most of his time alone studying the bronze map he'd retrieved from Fort Sumter, or looking up information on Daedalus's laptop. He was so lost in thought that their conversations now were something like this:

Andy: "How are you doing?"

Anthony: "Uh, no thanks."

Andy: "Okay… have you eaten anything today?"

Anthony: "I think Leo is on duty. Ask him."

Andy: "So, my hair is on fire."

Anthony: "Okay. In a while."

Andy was seriously worried about him after his encounter with the spiders at Fort Sumter, and she didn't know how to help him, especially if he shut her out. She remembered how helpless she had felt when Anthony was leading the quest through Deadalus' labyrinth. She wondered if things would get that bad again.

Lying in bed, she glanced at her boyfriend another time—he was sitting on the ground making crazy notes. Shaking her head, Andy turned her back at him and slept. Her nightmares, of course, were anything but restful.

She dreamed she was in a dark cavern. She heard heavy footsteps, and the twin giants Ephialtes and Otis shuffled out of the gloom. Andy could distinguish them only by their hair—Ephialtes had green locks and Otis had a purple ponytail.

The giants stood in front of Andy, but they paid her no attention. Instead, they gazed up into the darkness. "We're here," Ephialtes announced.

"How long?" something asked. The voice made Andy's stomach drop about six inches. It wasn't Gaea, but whatever it was, the twin giants became nervous. They shifted on their snakes and bobbed their heads respectfully.

"They should land in Rome shortly after daybreak, I think," Ephialtes said. "Of course, they'll have to get past the golden boy."

"I hope they arrive safely," the voice said. "It would spoil our fun to have them captured too soon. Centuries of Athena's rage can only be contained so well, and the great Earth Mother churns below us in her sleep. We must hope this child of Athena proves to be a worthy victim."

"Uh, Your Ladyship," Ephialtes said nervously. "I would remind you that Gaea wishes the boy to be taken alive. You can torment him. Drive him insane. Whatever you wish, of course. But his blood must be spilled on the ancient stones."

Her Ladyship hissed. "Others could be used for that purpose."

"Y-yes," Ephialtes said. "But this boy is preferred. And the girl—daughter of Poseidon. You can see why those two would be most suited for the task."

"We will see," Her Ladyship grumbled. "Leave me now. Tend to your own preparations. You will have your spectacle. And I will work in darkness."

The dream dissolved, and Andy woke with a start. Anthony was sleeping beside her. Lena was knocking at the open doorway. "We've set down in the water," she said, looking utterly exhausted. "Your turn."

Andy didn't want to, but she woke Anthony up.

* * *

They stood on deck, alone except for Leo, who was still manning the helm. The guy must have been shattered, but he refused to go to sleep. "I don't want any more Shrimpzilla surprises," he insisted.

They'd all tried to convince Leo that the skolopendra attack hadn't been entirely his fault, but he wouldn't listen. Andy understood him all too well. Not forgiving herself for mistakes was one of her biggest talents.

It was about four in the morning. As they sailed into twenty-foot swells, the sea heaving underneath them, Andy could hear poor Hazel down in her cabin… also heaving.

Despite all that, Andy was grateful to be back on the water. She stood with Anthony at the forward rail while she told him about the dream. Andy wasn't sure how he'd take the news. His reaction was even more troubling than she anticipated: he didn't seem surprised.

Anthony peered into the fog. "Andy, you have to promise me something. Don't tell the others about this dream."

"Don't what? Anthony—"

"What you saw was about the Mark of Athena," he said. "It won't help the others to know. It'll only make them worry, and it'll make it harder for me to go off on my own."

"You can't be serious. That thing in the dark—"

"I know." His face looked unnaturally pale. "But I have to do this alone."

Andy swallowed back her resentment. She wasn't sure anymore if she was mad at him, or at the dream, or at the entire Greek/Roman world that had endured and shaped human history for five thousand years with one goal in mind—to make Andy Jackson's life suck as much as possible.

"You know what's in that cavern," she accused. "Does it have to do with spiders?"

He didn't look at her. "Yes."

"Then how can you even…?" She made herself stop. Once Anthony had made up his mind, arguing with him wouldn't do any good.

Andy tried to settle her mind on things she could understand. Anthony had to go on this quest. The fate of the world might depend on it. But how could she intentionally let him go alone knowing he was heading into something that could cost him his life? Forget the world! she wanted to say. How could the world matter if they were not together?

"We're not far from the Italian coast," Andy said, mostly to break the silence. "Maybe a hundred nautical miles to the mouth of the Tiber."

"Good," Anthony said. "By daybreak, we should—"

"Stop." Andy's skin felt washed with ice. "We have to stop."

"Why?" Anthony asked.

"Leo, stop!" Andy yelled.

Too late. The other boat appeared out of the fog and rammed them head-on. Anthony and Andy were almost thrown overboard.

By the time Andy had recovered her wits, the enemy was everywhere. She couldn't see well through the fog and the dark, but the invaders seemed to be humanlike dolphins, or dolphinlike humans.

Leo sounded the alarm bell. Andy tried to summon the waves, hoping she could push the ships apart or even capsize the enemy vessel, but nothing happened. She raised Riptide, ready to fight, but they were hopelessly outnumbered.

At least the warriors didn't seem interested in killing them immediately. They kept Andy and Anthony contained while more of their comrades flooded below decks and secured the hull. Leo was dragged across the deck, half-conscious and groaning, and dumped on a pile of ropes.

On one side of the ring of spears, the dolphin warriors parted to let someone through. He appeared to be fully human, but from the way the dolphins fell back before him, he was clearly the leader. He was dressed all in gold.

Oh. The golden boy.

Anthony turned so he was shoulder to shoulder with Andy. "Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want?"

The golden warrior chuckled. With a flick of his blade, faster than Andy could follow, he smacked Riptide out of her hand and sent it flying into the sea. "Hello, little sister." The golden warrior's voice was rich and velvety. "Always happy to rob a fellow child of Poseidon. I am Chrysaor, the Golden Sword. As for what I want…" He turned his metal mask toward Anthony. "Well, that's easy. I want everything you have."

Chrysaor walked back and forth, inspecting them like prized cattle. A dozen of his dolphin-man ransacked the ship, banging and crashing around belowdecks. "I've heard all about you, Andy Jackson," he said. "Oh, yes, the beautiful young woman who saved Olympus. And her faithful son of Athena."

"They call me beautiful, those who talk about me?" asked Andy interested.

"And you are Medusa's son," Anthony growled.

"Medusa is your mom?" Andy asked. "Dude, that sucks for you."

"You are as arrogant and conceited as the first Andromeda," Chrysaor said. "Ruler of men, that's what your name means. And with your looks... I suppose if we stripped you naked and chained you to a rock, lots of your loyal followers would come to rescue you, don't you think?"

Andy felt her cheeks burning. "Please, don't do that," she said in a small voice.

Chrysaor seemed pleased. "Yes, Andy Jackson. Poseidon was my father. Medusa was my mother. After Medusa was changed into a monster by that so-called goddess of wisdom... Medusa's two children were trapped inside her, unable to be born. When Perseus cut off Medusa's head—"

"Two children sprang out," Anthony finished. "Pegasus and you."

Andy blinked. She'd learned years ago it was better not to dwell too much on who was related to whom on the godly side of things. "But if you're Medusa's kid," she said, "why haven't I ever heard of you?"

Chrysaor sighed in exasperation. "When your brother is Pegasus, you get used to being forgotten. Oh, look, a winged horse! Does anyone care about me? No!" He raised the tip of his blade to Andy's eyes. "But don't underestimate me. My name means the Golden Sword for a reason, just like yours. I was the first to ever wield such a blade. I should have been the most famous hero of all time! Since the legend-tellers decided to ignore me, I became a villain instead. I resolved to put my heritage to use. As the son of Medusa, I would inspire terror. As the son of Poseidon, I would rule the seas!"

"You became a pirate," Anthony summed up in a bored voice.

Chrysaor spread his arms. "The best pirate. I've sailed these waters for centuries, waylaying any demigods foolish enough to explore the Mare Nostrum. This is my territory now. And all you have is mine."

Then, as if making up his mind, Chrysaor grabbed Andy's arm and pulled her to him. His hand caressed her neck in a not very fraternal way. "Ah, young maiden," he mused. "Chained naked to a rock, it's how it's going to be."

"You're my brother!" she protested.

"That's why I won't kill you myself," Chrysaor decided.

"Why you little—" Andy was dumped with the other loot—crates of food, extra weapons, even the magical ice chest from the mess hall.

"You can't do this!" Anthony shouted.

Chrysaor's laughter reverberated inside his gold face mask. "I can do anything I want," Chrysaor said. "My warriors have been trained to perfection. They are vicious, cutthroat—"

"Dolphins," Andy noted.

Chrysaor shrugged. "Yes. So? They had some bad luck a few millennia ago, kidnapped the wrong person. Some of their crew got turned completely into dolphins. Others went mad. But these… these survived as hybrid creatures. When I found them under the sea and offered them a new life, they became my loyal crew. They fear nothing!"

One of the warriors chattered at him nervously.

"Yes, yes," Chrysaor growled. "They fear one thing, but it hardly matters. He's not here. Now, strip, Andy Jackson."

An idea began tickling at the base of Andy's skull. More dolphin warriors climbed the stairs, hauling up the rest of their friends. Lena was unconscious. Hazel and Piper were bound hand and foot. Piper had a gag in her mouth. Frank was the only one missing. If he was free aboard the ship somewhere, that could be an advantage.

"Excellent!" Chrysaor gloated distracted. He directed his warriors to dump Lena by the crossbows. Then he examined the other girls like they were Christmas presents. "We have an understanding with the witch Circe. She will buy the women—either as slaves or trainees, depending on their skill. And you, son of Athena..."

"You are not taking anyone," said Anthony. "And no one's getting naked!"

Andy's hand crept to her pocket. Her pen had appeared back in her jeans. She grabbed it without anyone noticing and hid it under her sleeve.

The golden warrior tutted. "Oh, sadly, son of Athena, you and your girlfriend are spoken for. A certain goddess is paying a high bounty for your capture—alive, if possible, though she didn't say you had to be unharmed. Maybe we'll tie you along with the beautiful Andromeda." He turned toward Andy once more. "Why are you still dressed?"

Very slowly and with lots of dignity, Andy took off her shoes. She suddenly had the attention of everyone in the ship. She opened her pants and removed them with everyone watching and then threw the jeans at Chrysaor.

That was the disturbance she needed. Andy drew Riptide and lashed out. The blade should have gone straight through Chrysaor's neck, but the golden warrior was unbelievably fast. He dodged and parried as the dolphin warriors backed up, guarding the other captives while giving their captain room to battle.

Andy was rusty—and pantless.

They battled back and forth, thrusting and parrying. She feinted and thrust at Chrysaor's gut, but Chrysaor anticipated the move. He knocked Andy's sword out of her hand again, and once more Riptide flew into the sea.

Chrysaor laughed easily. He wasn't even winded. He pressed the tip of his golden sword against Andy's sternum. "A good try," said the pirate. "But now you'll be chained to that rock to wait for Gaea's minions. They are quite eager to spill your blood and wake the goddess."

Andy stood there, disarmed, outmatched, and in her underwear.

She took a deep breath and tried to think. There was no way she was getting naked for this guy. She glanced toward the stern and spotted Frank, in human form, peeking out from behind a ballista, waiting. She resisted the urge to smile. The big guy claimed to be clumsy and useless, but he always seemed to be in exactly the right place when Andy needed him.

"Fine!" Andy shouted, so loudly that she got everyone's attention. "I will remove my clothes. It's gonna be a good show, so I'm sure the captain will want to be around for this."

Some dolphins cheered. Chrysaor turned his golden mask. "What captain? My men searched the ship. There is no one else."

Andy raised her hands dramatically. "The god appears only when he wishes. But he is our leader. He runs our camp for demigods. Doesn't he, Anthony?"

Anthony was quick. "Yes!" He nodded enthusiastically. "Mr. D! The great Dionysus!"

A ripple of uneasiness passed through the dolphin-men. One dropped his sword.

"Stand fast!" Chrysaor bellowed. "There is no god on this ship. They are trying to scare you."

"You should be scared!" Andy looked at the pirate crew with sympathy. "Dionysus will be severely cranky with you for having delayed our voyage. He will punish all of us. Didn't you notice the girls falling into the wine god's madness?"

Hazel and Piper stared at Andy, but when she glared at them pointedly, they started hamming it up, trembling and flopping around like fish.

"Fakes!" Chrysaor roared. "Shut up, Andy Jackson. Your camp director is not here. He was recalled to Olympus. This is common knowledge."

"So you admit Dionysus is our director!"

"He was," Chrysaor corrected. "Everyone knows that."

"You see? We are doomed. If you don't believe me, let's check the ice chest!" Andy stormed over to the magical cooler. No one tried to stop her. She knocked open the lid and rummaged through the ice. She was rewarded with a silver-and-red can of soda. She brandished it at the dolphin warriors as if spraying them with bug repellent. "Behold!" Andy shouted. "The god's chosen beverage. Tremble before the horror of Diet Coke!"

The dolphin-men began to panic. They were on the edge of retreat. Andy could feel it.

"The god will take your ship," she warned. "He will finish your transformation into dolphins, or make you insane, or transform you into insane dolphins! Your only hope is to swim away now, quickly!"

"Ridiculous!" Chrysaor's voice turned shrill. He didn't seem sure where to level his sword—at Andy or his own crew.

"Save yourselves!" Andy warned. "It is too late for us!" Then she gasped and pointed to the spot where Frank was hiding. "Oh, no! Frank is turning into a crazy dolphin!"

Nothing happened.

"I said," Andy repeated, "Frank is turning into a crazy dolphin!"

Frank stumbled out of nowhere, making a big show of grabbing his throat. "Oh, no," he said. "I am turning into a crazy dolphin!" He began to change, his nose elongating into a snout, his skin becoming sleek and gray. He fell to the deck as a dolphin, his tail thumping against the boards.

The pirate crew disbanded in terror, chattering and clicking as they dropped their weapons, forgot the captives, ignored Chrysaor's orders, and jumped overboard. In the confusion, Anthony moved quickly to cut the bonds on Hazel and Piper.

Within seconds, Chrysaor was alone and surrounded. Andy and her friends had no weapons except for Anthony's knife, but the golden warrior backed to the edge of the rail. "This isn't over, Ruler of men," Chrysaor growled. "I will have my revenge—"

His words were cut short by Frank, who had changed form again. An eight-hundred-pound grizzly bear sideswiped Chrysaor and raked the golden mask off his helmet. Chrysaor screamed, instantly covering his face with his arms and tumbling into the water.

They ran to the rail. Chrysaor had disappeared.

"Andy," Anthony said surprised. "That was brilliant!"

"Eh, it was desperate. Now we need to get rid of this pirate trireme."

"Burn it?" Anthony asked.

Andy looked at the Diet Coke in her hand. "No. I've got another idea."

"Okay," said Anthony. "But we should find your pants first."

The others laughed staring at her bare legs. Andy blushed. "You ungrateful little bastards."

Leo got back on his feet, thanks to a little nectar. Piper tended to Lena's wounds, but she wasn't badly hurt. They returned all their own supplies to the proper places and tidied up from the invasion. When she was done, Andy loaded the enemy's weapons back on the pirate ship.

"I can sense about six million dollars' worth of gold aboard," Hazel said. "Plus diamonds, rubies—"

"Six m-million?" Frank stammered. "Canadian dollars or American?"

"Leave it," Andy said. "It's part of the tribute."

"Tribute?" Hazel asked.

"Oh." Piper nodded. "Kansas."

Lena grinned. "Crazy. But I like it."

Finally Andy went aboard the pirate ship and opened the flood valves. She asked Leo to drill a few extra holes in the bottom of the hull with his power tools, and Leo was happy to oblige. The ship sank remarkably fast, filling with Diet Coke and seawater.

"Dionysus," Andy called, holding up Chrysaor's golden mask. "Or Bacchus—whatever. You made this victory possible, even if you weren't here. Your enemies trembled at your name… or your Diet Coke, or something. So, yeah, thank you. We give this ship to you as tribute. We hope you like it."

"Six million in gold," Leo muttered. "He'd better like it."

"Shh," Hazel scolded. "Precious metal isn't all that great. Believe me."

Andy threw the golden mask aboard the vessel. She summoned a wave, and the enemy ship was swamped. Leo steered the Argo II away as the pirate vessel disappeared underwater.

"Isn't that polluting?" Piper asked.

"I wouldn't worry," Lena told her. "If Bacchus likes it, the ship should vanish."

* * *

After their bout with the pirates, they decided to fly the rest of the way to Rome. Lena insisted she was well enough to take sentry duty. They had a couple of hours before daybreak, so Lena suggested Andy try to get a few more hours of sleep.

In bed, Andy stared at the ceiling thinking about how easily Chrysaor had beaten her. Ruler of men, he kept calling her. Andromeda. People were always looking up to her no matter how unreliable she looked. They depended on her and relied on her powers. Even the Romans had raised her on a shield and made her praetor, and she'd only known them for a couple of weeks.

But Andy didn't feel powerful, or beautiful, or capable of ruling anymore. The more heroic stuff she did, the more she realized how limited she was. She was a fraud. Her failures seemed to prove it. That's explained the fear of suffocation. She was sinking into too many expectations, literally getting in over her head.

She thought of her fatal flaw: she was supposedly too loyal to her friends. She would gladly throw herself at any monster, god, or giant to keep her friends from being hurt. But what if she wasn't up to the task? What if someone else had to do it? That was very hard for her to admit. She didn't want to rely on someone else to protect her, someone who could get hurt on her account.

She didn't want anybody she loved taking a risk for her. She had to be strong enough to be the protector herself. And Anthony... If she had to choose between him or letting the quest succeed—could Andy really choose the quest?

Before she could fall asleep, she heard the landing gear being lowered. There was a knock on her door, and Lena poked her head in. Her blue eyes glittered with excitement. "Hey," she said. "We're descending over Rome. You really should see this."

The sky was brilliant blue, as if the stormy weather had never happened. The sun rose over the distant hills, so everything below them shone and sparkled. The city spread through hills and valleys, jumped over the Tiber with dozens of bridges, and just kept sprawling to the horizon.

"We're setting down in that park," Leo announced. "Let's hope the Mist makes us look like a large pigeon or something."

The noise of traffic was all around them, but the park itself was peaceful and deserted. To the north, about a mile away through the folds of the city, the top of the Colosseum rose above the rooftops.

That's when Andy's legs started shaking. She was actually here.

Lena pointed to the base of the archers' wall, where steps led down into some kind of tunnel. "I think I know where we are," she said. "That's the Tomb of the Scipios."

"This place is amazing," said Anthony.

Lena nodded. "I've studied maps of Rome before. I've always wanted to come here, but…"

Nobody bothered finishing that sentence. They'd made it. They'd landed in Rome—the Rome.

"Plans?" Hazel asked. "Nico has until sunset—at best. And this entire city is supposedly getting destroyed today."

Andy shook herself out of her daze. "You're right. Anthony… did you zero in on that spot from your bronze map?"

His gray eyes turned extra thunderstorm dark. "Yes," he said carefully. "It's on the Tiber River. I think I can find it, but I should—"

"Take me along," Andy finished. "Yeah, you're right."

Anthony glared daggers at her. "That's not—"

"Safe," she supplied. "One demigod walking through Rome alone. I'll go with you as far as the Tiber. We can use that letter of introduction, hopefully meet the river god Tiberinus. Maybe he can give you some help or advice. Then you can go on alone from there. Okay?" she hoped no one could pick the desperation in her voice.

They had a silent staring contest, but Andy didn't back down. She was definitely not ready to let go of him just yet. In fact, she wasn't sure she could make herself do it when the time came

"Fine," Anthony muttered at last. "Hazel, now that we're in Rome, do you think you can pinpoint Nico's location?"

Hazel blinked, as if coming out of a trance from watching the Andy/Anthony Show. "Um… hopefully, if I get close enough. I'll have to walk around the city. Frank, would you come with me?"

Frank beamed. "Absolutely."

"And, uh… Leo," Hazel added. "It might be a good idea if you came along too. The fish-centaurs said we'd need your help with something mechanical."

"Yeah," Leo said, "no problem."

Andy was no genius when it came to relationships, but even she could feel the tension among those three. Piper drew her knife and set it on the rail. "Lena and I can watch the ship for now. I'll see what Katoptris can show me. But, Hazel, if you guys get a fix on Nico's location, don't go in there by yourselves. Come back and get us. It'll take all of us to fight the giants."

"Good idea," Andy said. "How about we plan to meet back here at… what?"

"Three this afternoon?" Lena suggested. "That's probably the latest we could rendezvous and still hope to fight the giants and save Nico. If something happens to change the plan, try to send an Iris-message."

The others nodded in agreement, but Andy noticed several of them glancing at Anthony. Another thing no one wanted to say: he would be on a different schedule.

Andy looked around at her friends, trying not to feel like this was the last time they'd ever be together. "Good luck, everyone."

Leo lowered the gangplank, and Anthony said, "After you."

* * *

Under different circumstances, wandering through Rome with Anthony would have been pretty awesome. They held hands as they navigated the winding streets. They aimed for the Colosseum because that was an easy landmark, but getting there proved harder than Andy anticipated.

Anthony commented on the architecture, but Andy kept her eyes open for other things. Finally they reached the Colosseum and Anthony decided to keep walking.

The day was so hot they stopped for a Diet Coke. Andy didn't know how they would pay for it until Anthony dug out of his pocket a "International credit card. For emergencies."

Andy stared at him in amazement. "How did you—? No. Never mind. I don't want to know. Just keep being awesome."

To their right stood a crumbling line of stone arches that stopped halfway across the river—ruins that might've been left over from the days of the Caesars. "This is it." Anthony pointed at the old stone bridge. "I recognize that from the map. But what do we do now?"

Andy was glad he had said we. For the time being, they were still a team. They sat together on a park bench holding hands. Andy was so grateful just to look at him. His skin was hot in the sun and it erased the cold nights she had spent longing for him.

How little did she deserve him. He was so perfect at everything he did and she was, only yesterday, fighting in her underwear—and losing.

"You shouldn't feel ashamed," he said suddenly. "You're thinking about Chrysaor, aren't you? Swords can't solve every problem. You saved us in the end."

Andy smiled. "How do you do that? You always know what I'm thinking."

"I know you," he said serious.

And you like me anyway? she wanted to say.

"Andy," he went on, "you can't carry the weight of this whole quest. It's impossible. That's why there are seven of us. But you'll have to let me search for the Athena Parthenos on my own."

Andy felt her lungs closing. Breathing was becoming a challenge.

"You'll have to trust me. You've got to believe I'll come back."

"I believe in you," she said but her voice was so low she doubted he could hear her.

The sound of a Vespa interrupted them. The motor scooter was an old-fashioned model: big and baby blue. The driver was a guy in a silky gray suit. Behind him sat a younger woman with a headscarf, her hands around the man's waist.

"Why, hello," the man said.

The woman slid off the bike. "We've had the most lovely morning," she said breathlessly.

Anthony seemed so stunned that Andy figured she ought to know these two. "You guys do look familiar," she decided.

"Andy!" Anthony laughed, his good proper laugh, the one she hadn't heard in a long time. "That's Gregory Peck! And... Audrey Hepburn. This is from Roman Holiday."

"Oh, my dear!" The woman twirled like an air spirit and sat down beside them. "I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else! My name is Rhea Silvia. I was the mother to Romulus and Remus, thousands of years ago. And this is my husband…"

"Tiberinus," said Gregory Peck. "God of the River Tiber."

"Uh, hi," Andy said. "Do you two always look like movie stars?"

"Do we?" Tiberinus frowned and studied his clothes. "I'm not sure, actually. Rome affected the world, but the world also affects Rome."

"Okay. But… you're here to help?"

"My naiads told me you two were here." Tiberinus cast his dark eyes toward Anthony. "You have the map, young lad? And your letter of introduction?"

"Uh…" Anthony handed him the letter and the disk of bronze. "You've helped other children of Athena with this quest?"

"Oh, my dear!" The pretty lady, Rhea Silvia, put her hand on Anthony's shoulder. "Tiberinus is ever so helpful. He's just dreamy!"

"Thank you, my dear," Tiberinus said with a wry smile. "And, yes, Anthony Chase, I've helped many of your siblings… to at least begin their journey safely. A shame all of them died painfully later on. Well, your documents seem in order. We should get going. The Mark of Athena awaits!"

Andy gripped Anthony's hand—probably a little too tight. "Can I just go a little farther...?"

Rhea Silvia laughed sweetly. "But you can't, my dear. You must return to your ship and gather your other friends. Confront the giants! The way will appear in your friend Piper's knife. Anthony has a different path. He must walk alone."

"Indeed," Tiberinus said. "Anthony must face the guardian of the shrine by himself. It is the only way. And Andy Jackson, you have less time than you realized to rescue your friend in the jar. You must hurry."

Her heart was beating so fast it made Andy want to barf. This couldn't be happening. It was too soon. She wasn't ready.

"It's alright, Andy." Anthony squeezed back her hand. "I need to do this." He was probably terrified of what was coming, but he put on a brave face—for her sake.

Andy fought to keep the Diet Coke down. This was already awful. She couldn't make it harder for him. "Of course you can," she said, forcing out the words.

"Come, dear," said Rhea Silvia. "We will show you where your path starts. After that, you're on your own."

Anthony's forehead touched hers and they stood there for a moment pretending this was all that existed in the world—the two of them. Together. Then Anthony kissed her, lips warm and familiar. It didn't last. Too fast, he was shouldering his backpack and climbing on the back of the scooter.

Andy gasped as she watched him leave. There was something pressing on her chest. She struggled to breathe and wondered if she was having a heart attack. She had to sit back down, her legs trembling. "Oh, gods..." she muttered.

The rest of the words didn't leave her mouth. The plea was silent but it was strong. She focused on the words with all her might—oh, gods, please, bring him back.


	45. Wisdom's Child

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part IX — _He's a winner, he's a whiz, a wonder. He's about to pull my heart asunder._

* * *

Anthony only knew about that old movie because of his dad. They'd spent more time together lately, and Anthony had learned that his dad had a sappy side. Sure, he liked military history, weapons, and biplanes, but he also loved old films, especially romantic comedies. Roman Holiday was one of his favorites.

The plot was silly, but Anthony suspected his dad liked it because it reminded him of his own romance with the goddess Athena: another impossible pairing that couldn't end happily.

"Here we are," Tiberinus announced. He pulled over in front of a large marble building, the facade covered in city grime but still beautiful. The massive entrance was barred with iron gates, heavily padlocked.

"I'm going in there?" Anthony asked.

Rhea Silvia covered her mouth and giggled. "No, my dear. Not in it. Under it."

Tiberinus pointed to a set of stone steps on the side of the building. "Rome is chaotic above ground, but that's nothing compared to below ground. You must descend into the buried city, Anthony Chase. Find the altar of the foreign god. The failures of your predecessors will guide you. After that… I do not know."

Anthony's backpack felt heavy on his shoulders. "My siblings… none of them made it all the way to the shrine, did they?"

Tiberinus shook his head. "But you know what prize awaits, if you can liberate it."

"Yes," Anthony said.

"It could bring peace to the children of Greece and Rome," Rhea Silvia said. "It could change the course of the coming war."

"If I live," Anthony said.

Tiberinus nodded sadly. "Because you also understand the guardian you must face?"

Anthony remembered the spiders at Fort Sumter, and the dream Andy had described—the hissing voice in the dark. "Yes."

Rhea Silvia looked at her husband. "He is brave. Perhaps he is stronger than the others."

"I hope so," said the river god. "Goodbye, Anthony Chase. And good luck."

Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn sped off on their baby-blue motorbike. Then Anthony turned and descended the steps alone. He'd been underground plenty of times. But halfway down the steps, he realized just how long it had been since he'd adventured by himself. He froze.

 _Gods, get a grip.._. The last time he had felt this scared and alone, he'd been seven years old.

He forced himself to keep going. He had no choice.

At the bottom of the steps he reached an old wooden door with an iron pull ring. Above the ring was a metal plate with a keyhole. As soon as he touched the pull ring, a fiery shape burned in the middle of the door: the silhouette of Athena's owl, and the door swung inward.

Anthony stepped through the doorway. He found himself in a basement that was an architectural cyborg. The ceiling was held up with a combination of steel scaffolding and old granite Roman columns.

In the back of the basement, the floor had been excavated, revealing another set of steps—these of white stone—leading still deeper underground. He crept to the edge. He rested his hand on the wall and found a light switch.

He flipped it. Below, he saw a mosaic floor. He climbed down. The room was about twenty feet square. The walls had once been brightly painted, but most of the frescoes had peeled or faded. The only exit was a hole dug in one corner of the floor where the mosaic had been pulled up. He crouched next to the opening. It dropped straight down into a larger cavern, but he couldn't see the bottom.

Anthony heard running water maybe thirty or forty feet below. There was no way down. Something glowed in the darkness. The Mark of Athena blazed to life at the bottom of the cavern, revealing glistening brickwork along a subterranean canal forty feet below.

Anthony considered his options. He had spent his life watching other demigods gain amazing powers. Andy could control water. Hazel could find her way underground with flawless accuracy and even create or change the course of tunnels. Leo would pull just the right tools from his belt and build something to do the job. Frank could turn into a bird. Lena could simply control the wind and float down. Even Piper could have convinced Tiberinus and Rhea Silvia to be a little more helpful.

What did he have? A bronze dagger that did nothing special, and a cursed silver coin. He had no amazing powers. Even his one true magic item, his New York Yankees cap of invisibility, had stopped working.

Intelligence... he told himself. Like Athena's favorite hero, Odysseus. He'd won the Trojan War with cleverness, not strength. He had overcome all sorts of monsters and hardships with his quick wits. That's what Athena valued.

 _Wisdom's child walks alone_. That didn't mean just without other people, he realized. It meant without any special powers.

He went back to the basement and looked for anything that could help him. Kite string and plastic swords. The idea was ridiculous, but it was better than nothing.

Anthony set to work. His hands seemed to know exactly what to do. Within minutes he'd used a dozen balls of string and a crateful of swords to create a makeshift rope ladder. The ladder wouldn't win any design awards, but it might get him to the bottom of the cavern safely. He headed back to the hole in the mosaic floor. He secured one end of his ladder to the nearest piece of scaffolding, lowered the rope into the cavern, and shinnied down.

As he hung in the air, descending hand over hand with the ladder swinging wildly, he remembered how he had complained loudly and often that rope climbing would never help him defeat a monster. Chiron had just smiled, like he knew this day would come.

Finally Anthony made it to the bottom. He held up his glowing dagger. The shallow channel ran down the middle of a brickwork tunnel. Just to be safe, he tied a new ball of string to the end of his rope ladder. He could unravel it behind him as he explored. An old trick, but a good one.

About fifty feet to his left, the Mark of Athena blazed against the wall. He was really starting to hate that owl.

The water tunnel kept going. After about half an hour, he reached a room where the floor was a long narrow mosaic. At the far end of the room was an altar. On the altar stood a stone figure of a man sunk to his knees in rock, a dagger and a torch in his outraised hands. Anthony had no idea what that meant.

He took one step toward the altar. His foot went CRUNCH. He looked down and realized he'd just put his shoe through a human rib cage.

He had glanced down only a moment before and hadn't seen any bones. Now the floor was littered with them and daggers just like his. The rib cage was obviously old. It crumbled to dust as he removed his foot. Anthony lifted his eyes to the altar statue, which held a dagger and a torch.

Some kind of test, he decided.

The chamber rumbled. Dust fell from the cracked ceiling. A dozen ghosts shimmered into existence—glowing purple men in Roman togas, like the Lares he'd seen at Camp Jupiter.

He did the only thing he could. He tried to look confident. "I'm a son of Athena," he said, as boldly as he could manage.

"A Greek," one of the ghosts said with disgust. "That is even worse."

At the other end of the chamber, an old-looking ghost rose with some difficulty and stood by the altar, his dark eyes fixed on Anthony. "This is the cavern of Mithras," said the old ghost. "You have disturbed our sacred rituals. You cannot look upon our mysteries and live."

"I don't want to look upon your mysteries," Anthony assured him. "I'm following the Mark of Athena. Show me the exit, and I'll be on my way." His voice sounded calm, which surprised him.

The ghosts mumbled to each other in Latin. Anthony caught a few unkind words about Greeks and Athena.

"Your Greek goddess is powerless here," said the last ghost. "Mithras is the god of Roman warriors! He is the god of the legion, the god of the empire!"

"He wasn't even Roman," Anthony protested.

"Sacrilege!" the old man yelped, banging his staff on the floor a few more times. "Mithras protects us! I am the pater of this brotherhood—"

"The father."

"Do not interrupt! As pater, I must protect our mysteries."

"What mysteries?" Anthony asked. "A dozen dead guys in togas sitting around in a cave?"

The ghosts muttered and complained, until the pater got them under control. "You are clearly an nonbeliever. Like the others, you must die."

The others. Anthony made an effort not to look at the skeletons. His mind worked furiously, grasping for anything he knew about Mithras. He had a secret cult for warriors. He was popular in the legion. He was one of the gods who'd supplanted Athena as a war deity.

Anthony scanned the floor mosaic—seven pictures in a row. He studied the ghosts and noticed all of them wore some sort of badge on their toga—a raven, or a torch, or a bow. "You have rites of passage," he blurted out. "Seven levels of membership. And the top level is the pater."

The ghosts let out a collective gasp. Then they all began shouting at once.

"How does he know this?" one demanded.

"The boy has gleaned our secrets!"

"Silence!" the pater ordered.

"But he might know about the ordeals!" another cried.

"The ordeals!" Anthony said. "I know about them!"

Another round of incredulous gasping.

"Ridiculous!" The pater yelled. "The boy lies! Son of Athena, choose your way of death. If you do not choose, the god will choose for you!"

"Fire or dagger," Anthony guessed.

Even the pater looked stunned. Apparently he hadn't remembered there were victims of past punishments lying on the floor. "How—how did you… ?" He gulped. "Who are you?"

"The son of Athena. I am… uh, the pater in my brotherhood. The magnus pater, in fact. There are no mysteries to me. Mithras cannot hide anything from my sight."

"The magnus pater!" a ghost wailed in despair. "The great father!"

"Kill him!" One of the ghosts charged, his hands out to strangle Anthony, but he passed right through him.

"You're dead," Anthony reminded him. "Sit down."

The ghost looked embarrassed and took his seat.

"We do not need to kill you ourselves," the pater growled. "Mithras shall do that for us!"

The statue on the altar began to glow.

Anthony looked desperately around the room—the cracked ceiling, the floor mosaic, the wall paintings, and the carved altar. He began to talk, pulling deductions from the top of his head. "It is no good," he said. "I know all. You test your initiates with fire because the torch is the symbol of Mithras. His other symbol is the dagger, which is why you can also be tested with the blade. You want to kill me, just as… uh, as Mithras killed the sacred bull."

It was a total guess, but the altar showed Mithras killing a bull, so Anthony figured it must be important. The ghosts wailed and covered their ears. "The great father knows!" one said. "It is impossible!"

Anthony glared at the ghost who had just spoken. He had a raven badge on his toga—the same symbol as on the floor at her feet. "You are just a raven," he scolded. "That is the lowest rank. Be silent and let me speak to your pater."

The ghost cringed. "Mercy! Mercy!"

At the front of the room, the pater trembled—either from rage or fear, Anthony wasn't sure which. "Truly, you know much, great father. Your wisdom is great, but that is all the more reason why you cannot leave. The weaver warned us you would come."

"The weaver…" Anthony realized with a sinking feeling what the pater was talking about. This was one time he wished he didn't know the answer. "The weaver fears me. She doesn't want me to follow the Mark of Athena. But you will let me pass."

"You must choose an ordeal!" the pater insisted. "Fire or dagger! Survive one, and then, perhaps!"

Anthony looked down at the bones of his siblings. The failures of your predecessors will guide you. They'd all chosen one or the other: fire or dagger. Maybe they'd thought they could beat the ordeal. But they had all died. Anthony needed a third choice.

He stared at the altar statue, which was glowing brighter by the second. His instinct was to focus on the dagger or the torch, but instead he concentrated on the statue's base. He wondered why its legs were stuck in stone. Then it occurred to him: maybe the little statue of Mithras wasn't stuck in the rock. Maybe he was emerging from the rock.

"Neither torch nor dagger," Anthony said firmly. "There is a third test, which I will pass."

"A third test?" the pater demanded.

"Mithras was born from rock," Anthony said, hoping he was right. "He emerged fully grown from the stone, holding his dagger and torch." The screaming and wailing told him he had guessed correctly.

"The great father knows all!" a ghost cried. "That is our most closely guarded secret!"

Anthony gestured dramatically to the wall he'd come from. "I was born from stone, just as Mithras was! Therefore, I have already passed your ordeal!"

"Bah!" the pater spat. "You came from a hole in the wall! That's not the same thing."

Okay. So apparently the pater wasn't a complete moron, but Anthony remained confident. He glanced at the ceiling, and another idea came to him—all the details clicking together. "I have control over the very stones." He raised his arms. "I will prove my power is greater than Mithras. With a single strike, I will bring down this chamber."

The ghosts wailed and trembled and looked at the ceiling, but Anthony knew they didn't see what he saw. These ghosts were warriors, not engineers. Anthony had studied architecture for years. He knew this ancient chamber was on the verge of collapse. He recognized what the stress fractures in the ceiling meant, all emanating from a single point—the top of the stone arch just above him.

"Impossible!" the pater shouted. "The weaver has paid us much tribute to destroy any children of Athena who would dare enter our shrine. We have never let her down. We cannot let you pass."

"Then you fear my power!" Anthony said. "You admit that I could destroy your sacred chamber!"

The pater scowled. He straightened his hat uneasily. He couldn't back down without looking cowardly. "Do your worst, son of Athena," he decided. "No one can bring down the cavern of Mithras, especially with one strike."

Anthony hefted his dagger. The ceiling was low. He could reach the capstone easily, but he'd have to make his one strike count.

The doorway behind him was blocked, but in theory, if the room started to collapse, those bricks should weaken and crumble. He should be able to bust his way through before the entire ceiling came down. "Well, gentlemen," he said. "Looks like you chose the wrong war god."

Anthony struck the capstone. The Celestial bronze blade shattered it like a sugar cube. For a moment, nothing happened.

"Ha!" the pater gloated. "You see? Athena has no power here!"

The room shook. A fissure ran across the length of the ceiling and the far end of the cavern collapsed, burying the altar and the pater. More cracks widened. Bricks fell from the arches. Ghosts screamed and ran, but they couldn't seem to pass through the walls. Apparently they were bound to this chamber even in death.

Anthony turned. He slammed against the blocked entrance with all his might, and the bricks gave way. As the cavern of Mithras imploded behind him, Anthony lunged into darkness and found himself falling.

Anthony thought he knew pain. That was until he landed hard on his ankle. He immediately knew he'd broken it. Pain like a hot steel wire jabbed its way up his leg and into his hip. The world narrowed to his ankle and the agony.

He almost blacked out. His head spun. His breath became short and rapid. He lay as still as possible until the pain subsided from absolute torture to just horrible throbbing.

He looked around him. His dagger had skittered a few feet away. The ceiling was two stories tall. The doorway through which he'd fallen was ten feet off the ground. Stupid, he scolded himself. He'd lunged through that doorway, assuming there would be a level corridor or another room. It had never occurred to him that he'd be tumbling into space.

He inspected his ankle. He could feel his toes. He didn't see any blood. That was all good.

The only exit was on the far wall—an arched doorway that led into darkness. Between Anthony and the doorway, a small brickwork trench cut across the floor, letting water flow through the room from left to right.

He dug the godly food out of his pack and wolfed it down. As usual, it tasted like comforting memories. The ambrosia warmed his whole body. The pain in his leg became a dull throb. He tried to reach his knife, but it was too far away. He scooted in that direction. Pain flared again, like nails were piercing his foot. His face beaded with sweat, but after one more scoot, he managed to reach the dagger.

He opened his water bottle and drank. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was. When the bottle was empty, he crawled to the gutter and refilled it. The water was cold and moving swiftly—good signs that it might be safe to drink. He filled the bottle, then cupped some water in his hands and splashed his face.

Anthony sat up and glared at his ankle. He'd have to immobilize it in some sort of cast. That was the only way he'd be able to move.

With a lot of gasping, he crawled over to the wreckage of the stairs. He found two planks that were in fairly good shape and long enough for a splint. Then he scooted over to the wicker boxes and used his knife to cut off the leather straps. He pulled out several sheets of Bubble Wrap.

Anthony covered his broken ankle in a Bubble Wrap cast. He set it with the lumber splints and tied it all together with the leather straps. It was hard, painful work, but finally it was done. He searched the wreckage of the stairs until he found part of the railing—a narrow board about four feet long that could serve as a crutch. He put his back against the wall, got his good leg ready, and hauled himself up.

Above the open doorway, the Mark of Athena blazed to life against the arch. Anthony made it across the trench and hobbled slowly into the corridor.

The tunnel ran straight and smooth. He could hear a dry chorus of whispers like a million tiny voices. They seemed to be coming from inside the walls, and they were getting louder. Anthony touched the wall, and his hand came back covered in cobwebs.

 _It's only a web_ , he told himself. But that didn't stop the roaring in his ears.

He made his way down the corridor one painful step at a time. The whispering sounds got louder behind him until they sounded like millions of dried leaves swirling in the wind. The cobwebs became thicker, filling the tunnel. Soon he was pushing them out of his face.

His heart wanted to break out of his chest and run. He stumbled ahead more recklessly, trying to ignore the pain in his ankle. Finally the corridor ended in a chamber the size of a basketball court. The floor was done in Roman mosaics. The remains of tapestries hung from the walls. Two unlit torches sat in wall sconces on either side of the doorway, both covered in cobwebs.

At the far end of the room, the Mark of Athena burned over another doorway. Unfortunately, between Anthony and that exit, the floor was bisected by a chasm fifty feet across. The corridor he'd come from was filled with hissing noises. Cobwebs trembled and danced as the first of the spiders appeared: no larger than gumdrops, but plump and black, skittering over the walls and the floor.

Anthony closed his eyes for the briefest of moments. _I am not going to die here_ , he told himself _. I'm going to see Andy again._

The first spiders were almost to the door. Behind them came the bulk of the army—a black sea of creepy-crawlies. Anthony snatched up a torch. He rummaged through his backpack and found the matches and set the torch ablaze.

Anthony thrust it into the barricade. The old dry wood caught immediately. Flames leaped to the cobwebs and roared down the corridor in a flash fire, roasting spiders by the thousands. Anthony stepped back from his bonfire and to the edge of the chasm.

He couldn't see the bottom. He crouched and studied the beams. Each had a set of iron eye hooks along the inside, set at one-foot intervals. He glanced at the walls. The same kind of hooks had been used to hang the shredded tapestries.

He realized the beams weren't meant as a bridge. They were some kind of loom.

Anthony threw his flaming torch to the other side of the chasm. He pulled all the string out of his backpack and began weaving between the beams, stringing a cat's cradle pattern back and forth from eye hook to eye hook, doubling and tripling the line. He forgot the pain in his leg and the fiery barricade guttering out behind him. He inched over the chasm. The weaving held his weight. Before he knew it, he had made it across. He snatched up the torch and thrust it into his woven bridge. Flames raced along the string. Even the beams caught fire as if they'd been pre-soaked in oil.

For some reason, the spiders didn't follow. Anthony realized that he'd left his makeshift crutch on the other side of the chasm. He felt exhausted and out of tricks.

With a sigh, he made his way down the next corridor, hopping to keep the weight off his bad foot. After twenty feet, the tunnel opened into a cavern as large as a cathedral. The ceiling was so high, it was lost in the gloom and layers upon layers of spiderwebs.

Webs also surrounded the centerpiece of the shrine. Looming over him was a forty-foot-tall statue of Athena, with luminous ivory skin and a dress of gold—the Athena Parthenos.

Anthony realized his mouth was hanging open. He forced himself to swallow. Strands of web covered the statue like a gauze pavilion. Anthony suspected that without those webs, the statue would have fallen through the weakened floor long ago. As he stepped into the room, he could see that the cracks below were so wide, he could have lost his foot in them. Beneath the cracks, he saw nothing but empty darkness.

A chill washed over him. Anthony scanned the chamber, hoping to see something that might help. His eyes wandered over the tapestries, and he caught his breath. The tapestry to his left was a portrait of him and Andy.

Above him in the gloom, a voice spoke. "For ages I have known that you would come, my sweet."

Anthony shuddered. Suddenly he was seven years old again, hiding under his covers, waiting for the spiders to attack him in the night. In the webs above the statue, something moved—something dark and large.

"I have seen you in my dreams," the voice said, sickly sweet and evil, like the smell in the corridors. "I had to make sure you were worthy, the only son of Athena clever enough to pass my tests and reach this place alive. Indeed, you are her most talented child. This will make your death so much more painful to my old enemy when you fail utterly."

The pain in Anthony's ankle was nothing compared to the icy acid now filling his veins. "Arachne," he called out. "The weaver who was turned into a spider."

The figure descended, becoming clearer and more horrible. "Cursed by your mother," she said. "Scorned by all and made into a hideous thing… because I was the better weaver."

"But you lost the contest," Anthony said.

"That's the story written by the winner!" cried Arachne.

"You've been guarding this statue since the ancient times," Anthony guessed. "But it doesn't belong here. I'm taking it back."

"Ha," Arachne said. "I'm afraid you would have to defeat me first, my sweet. And alas, that is impossible." The creature appeared from the curtains of webbing, and Anthony realized that his quest was hopeless. He was about to die.

Arachne had the body of a giant black widow, with a hairy red hourglass mark on the underside of her abdomen and a pair of oozing spinnerets. Her eight spindly legs were lined with curved barbs. But the most horrible part was the black mandibles protruded from her mouth like tusks. Her other teeth had grown into thin white needles. Fine dark whiskers dotted her cheeks. Her eyes were large, lidless, and pure black, with two smaller eyes sticking out of her temples.

"Now I will feast on you, my sweet," Arachne said. "But do not fear. I will make a beautiful tapestry depicting your death."


	46. Revenge Cookie

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part X — _This is more than my thoughts ever thought it could be, for a moment, just a moment, lucky me._

* * *

For a girl with super underground senses, Hazel wasn't much good in Rome. She kept leading them around and around the city, getting dizzy, and doubling back. "Sorry," she said. "It's just… there's so much underground here, so many layers, it's overwhelming."

Frank seemed happy to plod along like a big sheepdog, but Leo started to get impatient.

"I never thought I'd get to see Rome," Hazel said. "I'd love to see the Trevi Fountain."

"There's a fountain on every block," Leo pointed out.

"Or the Spanish Steps," Hazel said.

"Why would you come to Italy to see Spanish steps? That's like going to China for Mexican food, isn't it?"

"You're hopeless," Hazel complained. She turned to Frank and grabbed his hand, as if Leo had ceased to exist. "Come on. I think we should go this way." Frank cheerfully let Hazel drag him along.

After walking forever, Hazel stopped in front of a church. "This is our best bet." Hazel sounded more certain than she had all day. "There should be a secret passage somewhere inside."

"Okay," said Leo. "But I hope this place has air conditioning."

The interior was pretty impressive. The main space was one huge chamber with a circular rotunda. Lining the walls were different shrines and statues and tombs and stuff. But the real eye-catcher was the dome overhead.

Leo was no architect like Anthony, but he could appreciate the engineering.

Hazel stopped in the middle of the room and turned in a circle. "There's an entrance—a tunnel that will lead us toward Nico. I can sense it close by. I'm not sure where."

Frank grunted. "If this building is two thousand years old, it makes sense there could be some kind of secret passage left over from the Roman days."

Leo scanned the temple's interior, thinking: If I were designing a secret passage, where would I put it? He tried to sense the workings of this ancient building. He turned toward a red marble altar-looking thing with a statue of the Virgin Mary on the top.

"Over there," he said. He marched confidently to the shrine. It was shaped sort of like a fireplace, with an arched recess at the bottom. The mantel was inscribed with a name, like a tomb. "The passage is around here. This guy's final resting place is in the way. Raphael somebody?"

"You mean Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino who painted _The School of Athens_ in the Vatican Stanza della Segnatura?" Hazel said.

Leo shrugged and looked around to make sure they weren't being watched. Most of the tour groups were gawking at the dome, but one trio made Leo uneasy. About fifty feet away, some overweight middle-aged dudes with American accents were conversing loudly, complaining to each other about the heat. They weren't watching him and Leo wasn't sure why they made him nervous.

He slipped around the side of the tomb. He ran his hand down the back of a Roman column, all the way to the base. Right at the bottom, a series of lines had been etched into the marble—Roman numerals. "Heh," Leo said. "Not very elegant, but effective."

On the floor next to the wall, one section of marble tile slid under another, revealing a dark square opening barely large enough to wiggle through.

"Romans must've been small." Leo looked at Frank appraisingly. "You'll need to change into something thinner to get through here."

"We should go get the others before we explore," said Frank ignoring him.

"They're halfway across the city," Leo reminded him. "Besides, uh, I'm not sure I can close this hatch again. The gears are pretty old."

"Great," Frank said. "How do we know it's safe down there?"

Hazel knelt. She put her hand over the opening as if checking the temperature. "There's nothing alive… at least not for several hundred feet. The tunnel slants down, then levels out and goes south, more or less. I don't sense any traps… Look, it's not three o'clock yet. We can at least do a little exploring, try to pinpoint Nico's location before we contact the others. You two stay here until I call for you. I want to check things out, make sure the tunnel is structurally sound. I'll be able to tell more once I'm underground."

Frank scowled. "We can't let you go by yourself. You could get hurt."

"Frank, I can take care of myself," she said. "Underground is my specialty. It's safest for all of us if I go first."

"Unless Frank wants to turn into a mole," Leo suggested. "Or a prairie dog. Those things are awesome."

"Shut up," Frank mumbled.

"Or a badger."

Frank jabbed a finger at Leo's face. "Valdez, I swear—"

"Both of you, be quiet," Hazel scolded. "I'll be back soon. Give me ten minutes. If you don't hear from me by then… Never mind. I'll be fine. Just try not to kill each other while I'm down there." She dropped down the hole. Leo and Frank blocked her from view as best they could. They stood shoulder to shoulder, trying to look casual.

Tour groups came and went. Most ignored Leo and Frank. The three American manatees were still hanging out in the middle of the room. One of them, every once in a while, would glance over at Leo and Frank like he found their presence distasteful.

Something about that dude bothered Leo. He wished Hazel would hurry up.

"She talked to me earlier," Frank said abruptly. "Hazel told me you figured out about my lifeline."

Leo stirred. "Your life… oh, you mean the burning stick. Right." Leo resisted the urge to set his hand ablaze and yell: _Bwah ha ha!_ "Look, man. It's cool. I'd never do anything to put you in danger. We're on the same team."

Frank fiddled with his centurion badge. "I always knew fire could kill me, but since my grandmother's mansion burned down in Vancouver… it seems a lot more real."

"Your grandmother—did she die in that fire? You didn't say."

"I—I don't know. She was sick, and pretty old. She said she would die in her own time, in her own way."

"So your whole family has the shape-changing thing?"

"I guess," Frank said. "My mom did. Grandmother thought that's what got her killed in Afghanistan, in the war. Mom tried to help some of her buddies, and… I don't know exactly what happened. There was a firebomb."

Leo winced with sympathy. "So we both lost our moms to fire." He hadn't been planning on it, but he told Frank about how his mother had died.

Frank's eyes got watery. "I never like it when people tell me, 'Sorry about your mom.' But… sorry about your mom."

Leo almost smiled. "Sorry about yours."

They stood there nodding at each other for a while. There was no sign of Hazel. The American tourists were still milling around the Pantheon.

"Back at Camp Jupiter," Frank said, "our cabin Lar, Reticulus, told me I have more power than most demigods, being a son of Mars, plus having the shape-changing ability from my mom's side. He said that's why my life is tied to a burning stick. It's such a huge weakness that it kind of balances things out."

"We've all got weaknesses," Leo said. "Me, for instance. I'm tragically funny and good-looking."

Frank snorted. "You might have weaknesses. But your life doesn't depend on a piece of firewood."

"No," Leo admitted. Then he looked across the room and faltered. The three American tourists were coming their way; no more circling or sneaking. They were making a straight line for Raphael's tomb, and all three were glaring at Leo. "Uh, Frank? Has it been ten minutes yet?"

Frank followed his gaze. The Americans' faces were angry and confused, like they were sleepwalking through a very annoying nightmare.

"Leo Valdez," called one guy. "We meet again."

All three tourists blinked, and their eyes turned solid gold.

Frank yelped. "Eidolons!"

"They can't fit down the hole," Leo said.

"Right," agreed Frank. He turned into a snake and slithered over the edge. Leo jumped in after him while the spirits began to wail above, "Valdez! Kill Valdez!"

The hatch above them closed automatically, cutting off their pursuers. It also cut off all light, but Leo and Frank could deal with that.

Frank must have turned back to human form because he said, "What now?"

"Okay, don't freak out," Leo said. He set his index finger blazed like a birthday candle. In front of them stretched a stone tunnel with a low ceiling. "Well, it only goes in one direction."

"Let's find Hazel," Frank said staying as far away from Leo as possible.

They made their way down the corridor. After a hundred feet or so, they turned a corner and found Hazel. In the light of her golden cavalry sword, she was examining a door. She was so engrossed, she didn't notice them until Leo said, "Hi."

She almost had a heart attack. "What are you doing here?"

Leo gulped. "Sorry. We ran into some angry tourists."

She hissed in frustration. "Okay, well… This door is giving me fits. Leo, can you try your skill with the lock?"

Leo cracked his knuckles. "Stand aside for the master, please." The door was very interesting. "Whoa, no offense to you Camp Jupiter types, but this is too complicated to be Roman."

Frank snorted. "Whereas you Greeks just love making things complicated."

"Hey," Leo protested. "All I'm saying is this machinery is delicate, sophisticated." Leo continued studying the mechanism and then decided to give it a try. The door swung open. He beamed at his friends. "That, good people, is how we do things in Leo World."

"I hate Leo World," Frank muttered.

Inside was enough cool stuff to keep Leo busy for years. He was about to head toward the tables with the awesome stuff when he glanced to his left and nearly jumped out of his shoes. Flanking the doorway were two armored manikins.

Frank edged away from the manikins. "Those things are going to come alive and attack us, aren't they?"

Leo laughed. "Not a chance. They aren't complete." He tapped the nearest manikin's neck, where loose copper wires sprouted from underneath its breastplate. "Still… a pretty impressive try. I've heard legends that the Romans confiscated the writings of Archimedes, but—"

"Archimedes?" Hazel looked baffled.

"Yeah, duh," said Leo. "Only the most famous son of Hephaestus who ever lived."

Frank scratched his ear. "I've heard his name before, but how can you be sure this manikin is his design?"

"I've read all about Archimedes. The guy was seriously elite. He calculated the value of pi. He did all this math stuff we still use for engineering. Anyway, all his inventions weren't enough. The Romans destroyed his city. Archimedes was killed. According to legends, the Roman general was a big fan of his work, so he raided Archimedes's workshop and carted a bunch of souvenirs back to Rome. They disappeared from history, except…" Leo waved his hands at the stuff on the tables. "Here they are."

"Metal basketballs?" Hazel asked.

Leo tried to contain his irritation. "Guys, Archimedes constructed spheres. The Romans couldn't figure them out. They thought they were just for telling time or following constellations, because they were covered with pictures of stars and planets. But Archimedes… Archimedes was in a class by himself. His spheres could do all sorts of things, only nobody is sure…"

Suddenly Leo got an idea so incredible that his nose burst into flames. He patted it out as quickly as possible. Man, it was embarrassing when that happened. He ran to the row of cubbyholes and examined the markings on the scroll cases. "Oh, gods. This is it!"

He gingerly lifted out one of the scrolls. He wasn't great at Ancient Greek, but he could tell the inscription on the case read On Building Spheres.

"Guys, this is the lost book!" His hands were shaking. "Archimedes wrote this, describing his construction methods, but all the copies were lost in ancient times. If I can translate this…"

The possibilities were endless.

"The secrets of Archimedes," he murmured. "Guys, this is bigger than Daedalus's laptop. If there's a Roman attack on Camp Half-Blood, these secrets could save the camp. They might even give us an edge over Gaea and the giants!"

Hazel and Frank glanced at each other skeptically.

"Okay," Hazel said. "We didn't come here for a scroll, but I guess we can take it with us."

"Assuming," Frank added, "that you don't mind sharing its secrets with us stupid uncomplicated Romans."

For the first time in days, Leo felt really hopeful. Naturally, that's when everything went wrong.

On the table next to Hazel and Frank, one of the orbs clicked and whirred. A row of spindly legs extended from its equator. The orb stood, and two bronze cables shot out of the top, hitting Hazel and Frank like Taser wires. Leo's friends both crumpled to the floor.

Leo lunged to help them, but the two armored manikins that couldn't possibly move did move. They drew their swords and stepped toward Leo.

The one on the left turned its crooked helmet. "You cannot escape us, Leo Valdez," it said. "We do not like possessing machines, but they are better than tourists. You will not leave here alive."

Hazel and Frank wore knocked out by the tendrils of a possessed steampunk bowling ball. The armored dudes stepped forward. The points of their swords hovered a few inches from Leo's face.

Leo glanced at the dormant spheres on the worktables. He considered his tool belt. He thought about the loft behind him—the area that looked like a sound booth. Presto: Operation Junk Pile was born.

He lunged for the stairs and bounded to the top. The suits of armor were scary, but they were not fast. As Leo suspected, the loft had doors on either side—folding metal gates. Leo slammed both gates shut and summoned fire to his hands, fusing the locks. The suits of armor closed in on either side. They rattled the gates, hacking at them with their swords.

Leo scanned his new home. Overlooking the workshop was a single table like a control board. In the center of the table, someone had disassembled an Archimedes sphere. Leo's hands flew over the sphere, reassembling its missing pieces.

Finally he got the last spring in place. He wound the starter coil. The gears began to turn. Leo closed the top of the sphere and studied its concentric circles—similar to the ones on the workshop door.

 _A problem you cannot solve,_ said a voice in his mind.

But if he didn't try, his friends would die.

Leo thrust his hand in his pocket and brought out the fortune cookie. "I need the access code for this sphere," he said. He broke open the cookie. The paper read:

YOUR LUCKY NUMBERS ARE: TWELVE, JUPITER, ORION, DELTA, THREE, THETA, OMEGA.

With trembling fingers, Leo turned the rings. The sphere hummed with power. Magical and electrical pulses coursed via the Celestial bronze cables, and surged through the entire room.

Leo focused on one reasonably intact gold sphere down in the main room. The gold sphere shuddered. It grew a tripod of legs and clattered over to the Taser ball. A tiny circular saw popped out of the gold sphere's head, and it began cutting into Taser ball's brain.

He tried to take control of an orb. A ruby-encrusted orb popped its top and helicopter blades unfolded. It zipped across the room and hovered in the far corner.

Hazel and Frank began to stir.

Leo grinned. "You're in Leo World, now."

One of the suits of armor turned and stormed down the stairs. Instead of advancing on Hazel and Leo, he marched up the opposite stairs and faced his comrade. He hit the other in the had and smashed the pommel of his sword into his comrade's helmet. Leo was getting the hang of it now. He commanded both suits of armor to drop their swords and shields and slap each other repeatedly.

"Who's possessing who now, Casper?"

The machine men tumbled down the stairs, and their joints began smoking. The other spheres around the room began to pop. Too much energy was surging through the ancient system.

"Frank, Hazel!" Leo shouted. "Take cover!"

His friends were still dazed, but Frank pulled Hazel under the nearest table and shielded her with his body.

One last twist of the sphere, and Leo sent a massive jolt through the system. The armored warriors blew apart. Bronze shards flew everywhere. Leo's gold sphere froze. His flying ruby orb dropped to the floor with the scroll cases.

The room was suddenly quiet. Leo raced down the stairs and found Frank and Hazel safe under their table. "You're alive!" he said.

Hazel's left eye twitched. "Uh, what exactly happened?"

"Archimedes came through!" Leo said. "Just enough power left in those old machines for one final show. Once I had the access code, it was easy."

He patted the control sphere.

"The eidolons," Frank said. "Are they gone?"

Leo grinned. "My last command overloaded their kill switches—basically locked down all their circuits and melted their cores."

"In English?" Frank asked.

"I trapped the eidolons inside the wiring," Leo said. "Then I melted them. They won't be bothering anyone again."

"You saved us," Frank said.

"Don't sound so surprised." Leo glanced around the destroyed workshop. "Too bad all this stuff got wrecked, but at least I salvaged the scrolls. If I can get them back to Camp Half-Blood, maybe I can learn how to recreate Archimedes's inventions."

Hazel rubbed the side of her head. "But I don't understand. Where is Nico? That tunnel was supposed to lead us to Nico."

"How exactly were you tracking Nico? I mean, could you just sense him nearby because he was your brother?"

Hazel frowned. "Not—not totally. Sometimes I can tell when he's close, but, like I said, Rome is so confusing, so much interference because of all the tunnels and caves—"

"You tracked him with your metal-finding senses," Leo guessed. "His sword?"

She blinked. "How did you know?"

"You'd better come here." He led Hazel and Frank up to the control room and pointed at a black sword.

"Oh. Oh, no. But that's impossible! Nico's sword was with him in the bronze jar. Andy saw it in her dream!"

"Either the dream was wrong," Leo said, "or the giants moved the sword here as a decoy."

"So this was a trap," Frank said. "We were lured here."

"But why?" Hazel cried. "Where's my brother?"

A hissing sound filled the control booth. At first, Leo thought the eidolons were back. Then he realized the bronze mirror on the table was steaming.

 _My poor demigods,_ said Gaea in the mirror. _You had your choice. I offered salvation to all of you. You could have turned back. Now it is too late. You've come to the ancient lands where I am strongest—where I will wake._

"In case you haven't noticed, Dirt Face," Leo said, "your little ambush failed. Your three eidolons got melted in bronze, and we're fine."

Gaea laughed softly. _Oh, my sweet Leo. You three have been separated from your friends. That was the whole point._

The workshop door slammed shut.

 _You are trapped in my embrace. Meanwhile, Anthony Chase faces his death alone, terrified and crippled, at the hands of his mother's greatest enemy._

The image in the mirror changed. Leo saw Anthony sprawled on the floor of a dark cavern, holding up his bronze knife as if warding off a monster. His face was gaunt. His leg was wrapped up in some sort of splint. Leo couldn't see what he was looking at, but it was obviously something horrible.

 _The others,_ Gaea said, _Lena Grace, Piper McLean, and my dear friend Andy Jackson—they will perish within minutes._

The scene changed again. Andy was holding Riptide, leading Lena and Piper down a spiral staircase into the darkness.

 _Their powers will betray them,_ Gaea said. _They will die in their own elements. I almost hoped they would survive. They would have made a better sacrifice. But alas, you will have to do. My minions will collect you shortly and bring you to the ancient place. Your blood will awaken me at last. Until then, I will allow you to watch your friends perish. Please… enjoy this last glimpse of your failed quest._

Leo couldn't stand it. His hand glowed white hot. Hazel and Frank scrambled back as he pressed his palm against the mirror and melted it into a puddle of bronze goo.

"Sorry," he took a shaky breath. "She was getting annoying."

"What do we do?" Frank asked. "We have to get out and help the others."

Leo scanned the workshop, now littered with smoking pieces of broken spheres. His friends still needed him. This was still his show. As long as he had his tool belt, Leo Valdez wasn't going to sit around helplessly.

"I've got an idea," he said. "But it's going to take all three of us."


	47. Kalends of July

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part XI — _Though you're unsure, why fight the tide? Don't think so much, let your heart decide._

* * *

Piper worked hard on the birthday cake. The hardest part was the purple icing. But she thought she had done an excellent job. Lena winced when she saw it. "I wasn't going to say anything. There's just too much going on.

"Well, I won't wish you a happy birthday then," Piper said. "Happy Kalends of July."

Lena smirked. "The Romans would find that auspicious—the first day of the month named for Julius Caesar. Juno's sacred day. Yippee."

Piper didn't want to push it, or make a celebration if she didn't feel like celebrating. "Just blow out the candles, Lena."

She did. Piper wondered if she'd made a wish—hopefully that she and Piper would survive this quest and stay together forever. She decided not to ask. She didn't want to jinx that wish, and she definitely didn't want to find out that she'd wished for something different.

Lena plucked an extinguished candle from her cake. "I've been thinking."

"About?"

"Camp Jupiter. All the years I trained there. We were always pushing teamwork, working as a unit. I thought I understood what that meant. But honestly? I was always the leader. Even when I was younger—"

"The daughter of Jupiter," Piper said. "Most powerful kid in the legion. You were the star."

Lena looked uncomfortable, but she didn't deny it. "Being in this crew of seven… I'm not sure what to do. I'm not used to being one of so many, well, equals. I feel like I'm failing. I've spent most of this trip knocked out and helpless."

"Come on," Piper chided. "Being a hero doesn't mean you're invincible. It just means that you're brave enough to stand up and do what's needed."

"And if I don't know what's needed?"

"That's what your friends are for. We've all got different strengths. Together, we'll figure it out."

Lena studied her. Piper wasn't sure that she bought what she was saying, but she was glad Lena could confide in her. She liked that Lena had a little self-doubt. She didn't succeed all the time and that only made her seem more perfect.

"Hercules was a jerk," Lena said. "I never want to be like that. But I wouldn't have had the courage to stand up to him without your taking the lead. You were the hero that time."

"We can take turns," Piper suggested.

Lena let out a nervous laugh. "I don't deserve you." She leaned over and kissed her.

Everything was like it was supposed to be. Except that when Piper opened her eyes again, she saw Andy Jackson running toward them.

They gathered on deck. Andy told them what had happened. She looked like she wanted to sit down and cry really hard, but not a single tear escaped her sea-green eyes. And after she was done speaking, Piper still couldn't quite believe it.

"Anthony was kidnapped on a motor scooter by Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn?"

"I have a bad feeling about this," Andy said. "And he's—he's gone. Maybe I shouldn't have let him, but—"

"You had to," Piper said. "You knew he had to go alone. Besides, Anthony is tough and smart. He'll be fine."

Piper put some charmspeak in her voice, which maybe wasn't cool, but Andy needed to be able to focus. Her shoulders relaxed a little.

"Maybe you're right. Anyway, Gregory—I mean Tiberinus—said we had less time to rescue Nico than we thought. Hazel and the guys aren't back yet?"

Piper checked the time on the helm control. "It's two in the afternoon. We said three o'clock for a rendezvous."

"At the latest," Lena said.

Andy pointed at Piper's dagger. "Did you try to find Nico's location… you know, with that?"

Piper bit her lip. The last thing she wanted to do was check Katoptris for more terrifying images. "Yeah," she said. "But the dagger doesn't always show what I want to see. In fact, it hardly ever does."

"Please," Andy said. "Try again." She pleaded with those sea-green eyes, like a cute baby seal that needed help. Piper wondered how Anthony ever won an argument with this girl.

"Fine," Piper sighed, and drew her dagger. She studied the bronze blade. The light shimmered. She saw ruins—a few crumbling walls, a single column, a stone floor covered with moss and dead vines. On one side of the stone floor, a set of stairs had been excavated, leading down to a modern iron gate with a padlock. The blade's image zoomed straight through the doorway, down a spiral stairwell, and into a dark, cylindrical chamber like the inside of a grain silo.

Piper dropped the blade.

"What's wrong?" Lena asked. "It was showing us something."

"We can't go there."

Andy frowned. "Piper, Nico is dying. We've got to find him."

Her voice wouldn't work. Piper kept that vision of the circular room to herself for so long, now she found it impossible to talk about. She had a horrible feeling that explaining it to Andy and Lena wouldn't change anything. She couldn't stop what was about to happen.

She picked up the knife again. Its hilt seemed colder than usual. She forced herself to look at the blade. She saw two giants in gladiator armor sitting on oversized praetors' chairs. The giants toasted each other with golden goblets as if they'd just won an important fight. Between them stood a large bronze jar.

The vision zoomed in again. Inside the jar, Nico di Angelo was curled in a ball, no longer moving, all the pomegranate seeds eaten.

"We're too late," Lena said.

"No," Andy said. "No. Maybe he's gone into a deeper trance to buy time. We just have to hurry."

The blade's surface went dark. Piper slipped it back into its sheath, trying to keep her hands from shaking. "We should wait for the others," she said. "Hazel, Frank, and Leo should be back soon."

"We can't wait," Andy insisted.

And it was decided.

* * *

Finding the place was easy. Andy led them right to it, on an abandoned stretch of hillside overlooking the ruined Forum. Getting in was easy too. Piper had to stop Andy and Lena from rushing inside.

"That image in the blade… I've seen it before. I didn't know how to tell you. I saw the room down there filling with water. I saw the three of us drowning."

Lena and Andy both frowned.

"I can't drown," Andy said, but she didn't sound sure.

"Maybe the future has changed," Lena speculated. "In the image you showed us just now, there wasn't any water."

"Look," Andy said. "I'll check it out first. It's fine. Be right back."

Before Piper could object, she disappeared down the stairwell. After like two minutes, Andy reappeared at the top, looking more baffled than relieved. "Good news: no water," she said. "Bad news: I don't see any exits down there. And, uh, weird news: well, you should see this.…"

They descended cautiously. Andy took the lead, with Riptide drawn. Piper followed, and Lena walked behind her, guarding their backs.

Andy turned when they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Watch this last step." She jumped to the floor of the cylindrical room, which was five feet lower than the stairwell. The others followed.

The room was just like she'd seen it in Katoptris's blade, except there was no water. The air felt cold and dry. There were no other exits.

"Alright." Andy raised her eyebrows. "Here's the weird part. Watch." She stepped to the middle of the room. Instantly, green and blue light rippled across the walls. Piper heard the sound of a fountain, but there was no water. There didn't seem to be any source of light except for Andy's and Lena's blades. "Do you smell the ocean?"

Piper hadn't noticed at first. She was standing next to Andy, and Andy always smelled like the sea. But she was right. The scent of salt water and storm was getting stronger, like a summer hurricane approaching.

"I feel like there should be water here—lots of water," said Andy. "But there isn't any. I've never been in a place like this."

"This is a nymphaeum," said Lena.

Piper's mouth was dry. "A what?"

"We have one at Camp Jupiter," Lena said, "on Temple Hill. It's a shrine to the nymphs."

Piper had always thought of nymphs as friendly spirits—silly and flirtatious, generally harmless. But this place felt unnatural, hostile, and very dry.

"Shrines like this were all over the place in Ancient Rome. Rich people had them outside their villas to honor nymphs, to make sure the local water was always fresh. Some shrines were built around natural springs, but most were man-made," continued Lena.

"So… no actual nymphs lived here?" Piper asked hopefully.

"Not sure," Lena said. "This place where we're standing would have been a pool with a fountain. A lot of times, if the nymphaeum belonged to a demigod, he or she would invite nymphs to live there. If the spirits took up residence, that was considered good luck."

"For the owner," Andy guessed. "But it would also bind the nymphs to the new water source, which would be great if the fountain was in a nice sunny park with fresh water pumped in through the aqueducts—"

"But this place has been underground for centuries," Piper guessed. "Dry and buried. What would happen to the nymphs?"

The sound of water changed to a chorus of hissing. The rippling light shifted from sea blue and green to purple and sickly lime. Above them, on the high ceiling was nine withered old women, so dried up and brittle they reminded Piper of mummies.

"What would happen to the nymphs?" said one of them. She was in even worse shape than the others. Her back was hunched like the handle of a pitcher. She fixed her purple eyes on Piper. "What an interesting question, my dear. Perhaps the nymphs would still be here, suffering, waiting for revenge."

Piper considered bolting for the stairs, but when she turned, the doorway had disappeared. Naturally. Nothing was there now but a blank wall. Lena and Andy stood to either side of her, their swords ready.

"Who are you?" Andy demanded.

The central nymph turned her head. "Ah… names. We once had names. I was Hagno, the first of the nine!"

"The nine," Lena repeated. "The nymphs of this shrine. There were always nine."

"Of course." Hagno bared her teeth in a vicious smile. "But we are the original nine, Lena Grace, the ones who attended the birth of your father."

Lena's sword dipped. "You mean Jupiter? You were there when he was born?"

"Zeus, we called him then," Hagno said. "Such a squealing whelp. We attended Rhea in her labor. When the baby arrived, we hid him so that his father, Kronos, would not eat him. Ah, he had lungs, that baby! It was all we could do to drown out the noise so Kronos could not find him. When Zeus grew up, we were promised eternal honors. But that was in the old country, in Greece."

The other nymphs wailed and clawed at their niches. They seemed to be trapped in them, Piper realized, as if their feet were glued to the stone.

"When Rome rose to power, we were invited here," Hagno said. "A son of Jupiter tempted us with favors. A new home, he promised. Bigger and better! No down payment, an excellent neighborhood. Rome will last forever."

"Forever," the others hissed.

"We gave in to temptation," Hagno said. "We left our simple wells and springs on Mount Lycaeus and moved here. For centuries, our lives were wonderful! Parties, sacrifices in our honor, new dresses and jewelry every week. All the demigods of Rome flirted with us and honored us."

The nymphs wailed and sighed.

"But Rome did not last," Hagno snarled. "The aqueducts were diverted. Our master's villa was abandoned and torn down. We were forgotten, buried under the earth, but we could not leave. Our life sources were bound to this place. Our old master never saw fit to release us. For centuries, we have withered here in the darkness, thirsty… so thirsty."

The others clawed at their mouths.

Piper felt her own throat closing up. "I'm sorry for you," she said, trying to use charmspeak. "That must have been terrible. But we are not your enemies. If we can help you—"

"Oh, such a sweet voice!" Hagno cried. "Such beautiful features. I was once young like you. My voice was as soothing as a mountain stream. But do you know what happens to a nymph's mind when she is trapped in the dark, with nothing to feed on but hatred, nothing to drink but thoughts of violence? Yes, my dear. You can help us."

Andy raised her hand. "Uh… I don't know if you care, but I'm the daughter of Poseidon. Does that change anything? Maybe I can summon a new water source."

"Ha!" Hagno cried, and the other eight echoed, "Ha! Ha!"

"Indeed, daughter of Poseidon," Hagno said. "I know your father well. Ephialtes and Otis promised you would come."

"The giants," Piper said. "You're working for them?"

"They are our neighbors." Hagno smiled. "Their chambers lie beyond this place, where the aqueduct's water was diverted for the games. Once we have dealt with you… once you have helped us… the twins have promised we will never suffer again." Hagno turned to Lena. "You, child of sky and storm—for the horrible betrayal of your predecessor who brought us here, you shall pay. I know the sky god's powers. I raised him as a baby! Once, we nymphs controlled the rain above our wells and springs. When I am done with you, we will have that power again. And Andy Jackson, child of land and sea… from you, we will take water, an endless supply of water."

"Endless?" Andy's eyes darted from one nymph to the other. "Uh… look, I don't know about endless. But maybe I could spare a few gallons."

"And you, Piper McLean." Hagno's purple eyes glistened. "Child of beauty and love, so gifted with your sweet voice. From you, we will reclaim our beauty. We have saved our last life force for this day. We are very thirsty. From you three, we shall drink!"

All nine niches glowed. The nymphs disappeared, and water poured from their alcoves—sickly dark water, like oil.

The basin filled with alarming speed. Piper, Lena, and Andy pounded on the walls, looking for an exit, but they found nothing.

"I could try lightning," Lena said. "Maybe blast a hole in the roof?"

"That could bring down the whole room and crush us," Piper said.

"Or electrocute us," Andy added.

"Not many choices," Lena said.

"Let me search the bottom," Andy said. "If this place was built as a fountain, there has to be a way to drain the thing. You guys, check the niches for secret exits. Maybe the seashells are knobs, or something." It was a desperate idea, but Piper was glad for something to do.

Andy jumped in the water. Lena and Piper climbed from niche to niche, kicking and pounding, wiggling seashells embedded in the stone; but they had no luck.

Sooner than Piper expected, Andy broke the surface, gasping and flailing. "Can't breathe," she choked. "The water… not normal. Hardly made it back."

The life force of the nymphs, Piper thought. It was so poisoned and malicious, even a child of the sea god couldn't control it.

As the water rose around her, Piper felt it affecting her too. Her leg muscles trembled like she'd been running for miles. Lena's face was pale. She seemed to be having trouble holding her sword. Andy was drenched and shivering. Her hair didn't look quite so dark, as if the color was leaching out.

"They're taking our power," Piper said. "Draining us."

"Lena," Andy coughed, "do the lightning."

Lena raised her sword. The room rumbled, but no lightning appeared. The roof didn't break. Instead, a miniature rainstorm formed at the top of the chamber. Rain poured down, filling the fountain even faster, but it wasn't normal rain. The stuff was just as dark as the water in the pool. Every drop stung Piper's skin.

"Not what I wanted," Lena said.

The water was up to their necks now. Piper could feel her strength fading. Andy started pushing the water away with the back of her hand, like she was shooing a bad dog. "Can't—can't control it!"

Piper clutched her cornucopia. "We can't fight this," she said. "If we hold back, that just makes us weaker."

"What do you mean?" Lena shouted over the rain.

The water was up to their chins. Another few inches, and they'd have to swim. But the water wasn't halfway to the ceiling yet.

"The horn of plenty," she said. "We have to overwhelm the nymphs with fresh water, give them more than they can use. If we can dilute this poisonous stuff—"

"Can your horn do that?" Andy struggled to keep her head above water, which was obviously a new experience for her. Piper thought she never looked so scared.

"Only with your help." Piper was beginning to understand how the horn worked. The good stuff it produced didn't come from nowhere. "I need you both to channel everything you've got into the cornucopia. Andy, think about the sea."

"Salt water?"

"Doesn't matter! As long as it's clean. Lena, think about rain storms—much more rain. Both of you hold the cornucopia."

They huddled together as the water lifted them off their ledges. Nothing happened. The rain came down in sheets, still dark and acidic. Piper's legs felt like lead. The rising water swirled, threatening to pull her under. She could feel her strength fading.

"No good!" Lena yelled, spitting water.

"We're getting nowhere," Andy agreed.

"You have to work together," Piper cried, hoping she was right. "Both of you think of clean water—a storm of water. Don't hold anything back. Picture all your power, all your strength leaving you."

"Oh, that's easy!" Andy said.

"But force it out!" she said. "Offer up everything, like—like you're already dead, and your only goal is to help the nymphs. It's got to be a gift… a sacrifice."

They got quiet at that word.

"Let's try again," Lena said. "Together."

This time Piper bent all her concentration toward the horn of plenty as well. The nymphs wanted her youth, her life, her voice? Fine. She gave it up willingly and imagined all of her power flooding out of her.

 _I'm already dead,_ she told herself.

Clear water blasted from the horn with such force, it pushed them against the wall. The rain changed to a white torrent, so clean and cold, it made Piper gasp.

"It's working!" Lena cried.

"Too well," Andy said. "We're filling the room even faster!"

She was right. The water rose so quickly, the roof was now only a few feet away.

"Don't stop!" Piper said. "We have to dilute the poison until the nymphs are cleansed."

"What if they can't be cleansed?" Lena asked. "They've been down here turning evil for thousands of years."

"Just don't hold back," Piper said. "Give everything. Even if we go under—" Her head hit the ceiling. The horn of plenty kept blasting out a clean torrent. Piper pulled Lena closer. "I love you," she said. The words just poured out of her, like the water from the cornucopia. She couldn't tell what her reaction was, because then they were underwater.

Piper held her breath. The current roared in her ears. Bubbles swirled around her. Her lungs were about to burst, but Piper poured her last energy into the cornucopia. Water continued to stream out, though there was no room for more. Piper's vision went dark. She thought the roar in her ears was her own dying heartbeat. Then she realized the room was shaking. The water swirled faster. Piper felt herself sinking.

With her last strength, she kicked upward. Her head broke the surface and she gasped for breath. The cornucopia stopped. The water was draining almost as fast as it had filled the room.

With a cry of alarm, Piper realized that Andy's and Lena's faces were still underwater. She hoisted them up. Instantly, Andy gulped and began to thrash, but Lena was as lifeless as a rag doll. Piper clung to her. She yelled Lena's name, shook her, and slapped her face. She barely noticed when all the water had drained away and left them on the damp floor.

"Allow me," said Andy. By the look in her face, Piper was sure Andy had heard when she told Lena she loved her. Andy knelt next to her and touched Lena's forehead. Water gushed from Lena's mouth. Her eyes flew open, and a clap of thunder threw Andy and Piper backward.

When Piper's vision cleared, she saw Lena sitting up, still gasping, but the color was coming back to her face. "Sorry," she coughed. "Didn't mean to—"

Piper tackled her with a hug. She would have kissed her, but she didn't want to make Andy feel any worse.

"You saved us all," Lena told Piper.

"Yes, she did," a voice echoed through the chamber. The nine figures reappeared, but they were no longer withered creatures. They were young, beautiful nymphs in shimmering blue gowns, their eyes a gentle shade of blue and green.

"I didn't think such selflessness existed in mortals… especially in demigods," said Hagno. "Forgive me. I was not myself. But you have reminded me of the sun and the rain and the streams in the meadows. Andy and Lena, thanks to you, I remembered the sea and the sky. I am cleansed. But mostly, thanks to Piper. She shared something even better than clear running water." Hagno turned to her. "You have a good nature, Piper. And I'm a nature spirit. I know what I'm talking about."

Hagno pointed to the other side of the room. The stairs to the surface reappeared. Directly underneath, a circular opening shimmered into existence. "You may return to the surface," Hagno said. "Or, if you insist, you may follow the waterway to the giants. But choose quickly, because both doors will fade soon after I am gone. That pipe connects to the old aqueduct line, which feeds both this nymphaeum and the hypogeum that the giants call home."

"Ugh." Andy pressed on her temples. "Please, no more complicated words."

"Oh, home is not a complicated word." Hagno sounded completely sincere. "I thought it was, but now you have unbound us from this place. My sisters have gone to seek new homes… a mountain stream, perhaps, or a lake in a meadow. I will follow them. I cannot wait to see the forests and grasslands again, and the clear running water."

"Yeah," Andy said nervously, "things have changed up above in the last few thousand years."

"Nonsense," Hagno said. "How bad could it be? Pan would not allow nature to become tainted. I can't wait to see him, in fact."

Andy looked like she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself. "Good luck with that."

"And thank you," added Piper.

The nymph smiled one last time and then all of them vaporized.

"Come on," said Piper. "We'd better go meet the giants."


	48. Finding Nico

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part XII — _Eagle, help my feet to fly, mountain help my heart be great. Spirits of the earth and sky, please don't let it be too late._

* * *

Andy was tired of water. She wanted nothing like being dry and sit in the warm sunshine for a long time—preferably with Anthony. If monsters and gods could just take a few decades off and let her live her life—Was that too much to ask?

She took the lead as they crawled down the drainage pipe. After thirty feet, it opened into a wider tunnel. To their left, somewhere in the distance, Andy heard rumbling and creaking, like a huge machine needed oiling. She had absolutely no desire to find out what was making that sound, so she figured that must be the way to go.

Several hundred feet later, they reached a turn in the tunnel. Andy held up her hand, signaling Lena and Piper to wait. She peeked around the corner.

The creaking and rumbling came from huge gears and pulley systems. Water flowed through open trenches (oh, great, more water), powering water wheels that turned some of the machines. Other machines were connected to huge hamster wheels with hellhounds inside.

"What is it?" Piper whispered.

Andy wasn't sure how to answer. She gestured for them to come forward and take a look. Andy scanned the room. About a hundred yards away, she spotted a raised dais with two empty oversized praetor chairs. Standing between them was a bronze jar big enough to hold a person.

Piper frowned. "That's too easy."

"But we have no choice," Lena said. "We've got to save Nico."

Andy started across the room, picking her way around moving platforms. The hellhounds in the hamster wheels paid them no attention. Andy tried to watch out for traps, but everything here looked like a trap. They jumped over a water trench and ducked under a row of caged wolves. They had made it about halfway to the bronze jar when the ceiling opened over them. A platform lowered. Standing on it was the purple-haired giant Ephialtes.

Ephialtes smiled at the demigods like he was really, really pleased to see them.

"At last!" he bellowed. "So very happy! Honestly, I didn't think you'd make it past the nymphs, but it's so much better that you did. Much more entertaining. You're just in time for the main event!"

Lena and Piper closed ranks on either side of Andy. Having them there made her feel a little better. This giant was smaller than a lot of monsters she had faced, but something about him made Andy's skin crawl.

"We're here," she said, which sounded kind of obvious. "Let Nico go."

"Of course!" Ephialtes said. "Though I fear he's a bit past his expiration date. Otis, where are you?"

A stone's throw away, the floor opened, and the other giant rose on a platform.

"Otis, finally!" his brother cried with glee.

"I don't care about your brother," said Andy. "Nico—"

"Oh, him," Ephialtes sneered. "We were going to let him finish dying in public, but he has no entertainment value. He's spent days curled up sleeping. What sort of spectacle is that? Otis, tip over the jar."

Otis trudged over to the dais and knocked over the jar, the lid popped off, and Nico di Angelo spilled out. The sight of his deathly pale face and too-skinny frame made Andy's heart stop. She couldn't tell whether he was alive or dead.

"Now we have to hurry," said Ephialtes. "We should go through your stage directions. The hypogeum is all set!"

Lena raised her gold gladius. "We're not going to be part of any show," she said. "And what's a hypo—whatever-you-call-it?"

"Hypogeum!" Ephialtes said. "You're a Roman demigod, aren't you? You should know! Ah, but I suppose if we do our job right down here in the underworks, you really wouldn't know the hypogeum exists."

"I know that word," Piper said. "It's the area under a coliseum. It housed all the set pieces and machinery used to create special effects."

Ephialtes clapped enthusiastically. "Exactly so! Are you a student of the theater, my girl?"

"Uh… my dad's an actor."

"Wonderful!" Ephialtes turned toward his brother. "Did you hear that, Otis? At any rate, my girl, you're absolutely right, but this hypogeum is much more than the stageworks for a coliseum. You've heard that in the old days some giants were imprisoned under the earth, and from time to time they would cause earthquakes when they tried to break free? Well, we've done much better! Otis and I have been imprisoned under Rome for eons, but we've kept busy building our very own hypogeum. Now we're ready to create the greatest spectacle Rome has ever seen—and the last!"

At Otis's feet, Nico shuddered. Andy couldn't explain how relieved she felt.

"So!" she smiled, hoping to keep the giants' attention on her. "Stage directions, you said?"

"Yes!" Ephialtes said. "Now, I know the bounty stipulates that you and the Athena boy should be kept alive if possible, but honestly, that guy is already doomed, so I hope you don't mind if we deviate from the plan."

It was getting harder and harder to breath. "You don't mean he's—"

"Dead?" the giant asked. "No. Not yet. But don't worry! We've got your other friends locked up, you see."

Piper made a strangled sound. "Leo? Hazel and Frank?"

"Those are the ones," Ephialtes agreed. "So we can use them for the sacrifice. We can let the Athena boy die, which will please Her Ladyship. And we can use you three for the show! Gaea will be a bit disappointed, but really, this is a win-win. Your deaths will be much more entertaining."

Lena snarled. "You want entertaining? I'll give you entertaining."

Piper stepped forward. Somehow she managed a sweet smile. "I've got a better idea," she told the giants. "Why don't you let us go? That would be an incredible twist. Wonderful entertainment value, and it would prove to the world how cool you are."

Nico stirred. Otis looked down at him.

Ephialtes shook his head. "You see, my girl, I am the anti-Dionysus. I have a reputation to uphold. Dionysus thinks he knows parties? He's wrong! His revels are tame compared to what I can do. That old stunt we pulled, for instance, when we piled up mountains to reach Olympus—"

"I told you that would never work," Otis muttered.

"And the time my brother covered himself with meat and ran through an obstacle course of drakons—"

"You said Hephaestus-TV would show it during prime time," Otis said. "No one even saw me."

"Well, this spectacle will be even better," Ephialtes promised. "The Romans always wanted bread and circuses—food and entertainment! As we destroy their city, I will offer them both. Behold, a sample!"

Something dropped from the ceiling and landed at Andy's feet: a loaf of sandwich bread in a white plastic wrapper with red and yellow dots. She picked it up. "Wonder bread?"

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Ephialtes's eyes danced with crazy excitement. "You can keep that loaf. I plan on distributing millions to the people of Rome as I obliterate them."

"Wonder bread is good," Otis admitted. "Though the Romans should dance for it."

Andy glanced over at Nico, who was just starting to move. It was time to go, but she needed more information from the giants about Anthony, and where the others were being kept. "Maybe," she ventured, "you should bring our other friends here. You know, spectacular deaths… the more the merrier, right?"

"No. It's really too late to change the choreography. But never fear. The circuses will be marvelous! Ah… not the modern sort of circus, mind you. That would require clowns, and I hate clowns."

"Everyone hates clowns," Otis said. "Even other clowns hate clowns."

"Exactly," his brother agreed. "But we have much better entertainment planned! The three of you will die in agony, up above, where all the gods and mortals can watch. But that's just the opening ceremony! In the old days, games went on for days or weeks. Our spectacle—the destruction of Rome—will go on for one full month until Gaea awakens."

"Wait," Lena said. "One month, and Gaea wakes up?"

Ephialtes waved away the question. "Yes, yes. Something about August First being the best date to destroy all humanity. Not important! In her infinite wisdom, the Earth Mother has agreed that Rome can be destroyed first, slowly and spectacularly. It's only fitting!"

"So you're Gaea's warm-up act," said Andy.

Ephialtes's face darkened. "This is no warm-up, demigod! We'll release wild animals and monsters into the streets. Our special effects department will produce fires and earthquakes. Sinkholes and volcanoes will appear randomly out of nowhere! Ghosts will run rampant."

Ephialtes stormed over to a big table covered with a sheet. He pulled the sheet away, revealing a collection of levers and knobs. "This button?" Ephialtes said. "This one will eject a dozen rabid wolves into the Forum. And this one will summon automaton gladiators to battle tourists at the Trevi Fountain. This one will cause the Tiber to flood its banks so we can reenact a naval battle right in the Piazza Navona! Andy Jackson, you should appreciate that, as a child of Poseidon!"

"Uh… I still think the letting us go idea is better," Andy said.

"She's right," Piper tried again. "Otherwise we get into this whole confrontation thing. We fight you. You fight us. We wreck your plans. You know, we've defeated a lot of giants lately. I'd hate for things to get out of control."

Ephialtes nodded thoughtfully. "You're right."

Piper blinked. "I am?"

"We can't let things get out of control," the giant agreed. "Everything has to be timed perfectly. But don't worry. I've choreographed your deaths. You'll love it."

Nico started to crawl away, groaning. Andy considered throwing her Wonder bread at him. Couldn't he move faster and groan less?

Lena switched her sword hand. "And if we refuse to cooperate with your spectacle?"

"Well, you can't kill us." Ephialtes laughed, as if the idea was ridiculous. "You have no gods with you, and that's the only way you could hope to triumph. So really, it would be much more sensible to die painfully. Sorry, but the show must go on."

Andy looked at her friends. "I'm getting tired of this guy. Combat time?"

Together, they charged.

The giants vanished in twin puffs of smoke. They reappeared halfway across the room, each in a different spot. Andy sprinted toward Ephialtes, but slots in the floor opened under her feet, and metal walls shot up on either side, separating her from the others.

She caught a brief glimpse of Piper leaping across a hopscotch pattern of fiery pits, making her way toward Nico, who was dazed and weaponless. Meanwhile Lena charged at Otis.

"Wonderful!" Ephialtes cried. "Shall I unleash the hydra now?" He pulled a lever, and Andy glanced behind her. The cage tumbled sideways, the door broke open, and the monster spilled out—right in front of Andy. She stepped forward to confront the monster. She rolled to one side as all eight hydra heads spit acid, turning the floor into a steaming crater of melted stone. Andy really hated hydras.

The thing lashed out. Andy ducked behind a giant hamster wheel and scanned the room, looking for anything that could help her. The hydra charged and Andy swung behind a column, grabbed a garbage bag full of Wonder bread, and threw it at the monster. The hydra spit acid, which was a mistake. The bag and wrappers dissolved in midair. The Wonder bread absorbed the acid like fire extinguisher foam and splattered against the hydra.

As the monster reeled, shaking its heads and blinking Wonder acid out of its eyes, Andy looked around desperately. She saw a strange contraption like an artist's easel, fitted with rows of missile launchers. At the top of the easel, spelled in carnations, were the words: HAPPY DESTRUCTION, ROME!

Andy bolted toward the device. The hydra hissed and charged after her.

"I know!" Ephialtes cried out happily. "We can start with explosions along the Via Labicana! We can't keep our audience waiting forever."

Andy scrambled behind the easel and turned it toward Ephialtes. The hydra barreled toward her, blocking her view of the giant. Andy hoped this contraption would have enough firepower to take down two targets at once. All eight hydra heads loomed over her. Andy tugged the lever. The weapons began to hiss.

"Duck and cover!" she yelled.

Andy leaped to one side as the easel fired. The hydra vaporized instantly. Unfortunately, the recoil knocked the easel sideways and sent more projectiles shooting all over the room. Across the room, sandbags rained down around Piper and Nico. Piper tried to pull Nico to safety, but one of the bags caught her shoulder and knocked her down.

"Piper!" Lena cried. She ran toward her, completely forgetting about Otis, who aimed his spear at Lena's back.

"Look out!" Andy yelled.

Lena had fast reflexes. As Otis threw, she rolled. The point sailed over her and Lena flicked her hand, summoning a gust of wind that changed the spear's direction. It flew across the room and skewered Ephialtes through his side just as he was getting to his feet.

"Otis!" Ephialtes stumbled away from his control board, clutching the spear as he began to crumble into monster dust. "Will you please stop killing me!"

"Not my fault!"

Otis had barely finished speaking when Andy's missile-launching contraption spit out one last sphere of Roman candle fire. The fiery pink ball of death hit the ceiling above Otis and exploded in a beautiful shower of light. Then a ten-foot section of roof collapsed and crushed him flat.

Lena ran to Piper's side. She yelped when she touched her arm. Her shoulder looked unnaturally bent, but she muttered, "Fine. I'm fine." Next to her, Nico sat up.

Sadly, Ephialtes was already re-forming, his head and shoulders rising from the mound of dust. He tugged his arms free and glowered at Andy. Across the room, the pile of rubble shifted, and Otis busted out. His head was slightly caved in.

"Andy!" Lena shouted. "The controls!"

Andy unfroze. With Riptide, she lunged for the switchboard. She slashed her blade across the top, decapitating the controls in a shower of bronze sparks.

"No!" Ephialtes wailed. "You've ruined the spectacle!"

Andy turned too slowly. Ephialtes swung his spear like a bat and smacked her across the chest. She fell on her back, the pain turning her stomach to lava.

Lena ran to her side, but Otis lumbered after him. Andy managed to rise and found herself shoulder to shoulder with Lena. Over by the dais, Piper was still on the floor, unable to get up. Nico was barely conscious.

Ephialtes smiled apologetically. "Tired, Andy Jackson? As I said, you cannot kill us. So I guess we're at an impasse. Oh, wait… no we're not! Because we can kill you!"

The giants pointed their weapons.

"We won't give up," Lena growled. "We'll cut you into pieces like Jupiter did to Saturn."

"That's right," Andy said. "You're both dead. I don't care if we have a god on our side or not."

"Well, that's a shame," said a new voice. To Andy's right, another platform lowered from the ceiling. Leaning casually on a pinecone-topped staff was Mr. D. "I'd hate to think I made a special trip for nothing."

Suddenly everything got quiet.

"Really, Ephialtes," Mr. D. chided. "That's over the line."

The giant made a squeaking sound. "This—this is impossible. D-D—"

"It's Bacchus, actually, my old friend," said the god. "And of course it's possible. Someone told me there was a party going on." He looked the same as he had in Kansas, but Andy still couldn't get over the differences between Bacchus and Mr. D. Bacchus was meaner and leaner, with less of a potbelly. He had longer hair and a lot more anger in his eyes.

Ephialtes's spear quivered. "You—you gods are doomed! Be gone, in the name of Gaea!"

"Hmm." Bacchus sounded unimpressed. He strolled through the ruined props, platforms, and special effects. "Tacky. Cheap. Boring. Honestly, Ephialtes. You have no sense of style."

"STYLE?" The giant's face flushed. "I have mountains of style. I define style. I—I—"

"My brother oozes style," Otis suggested.

"Thank you!" Ephialtes cried.

Bacchus stepped forward, and the giants stumbled back. "Have you two gotten shorter?" asked the god.

"Oh, that's low," Ephialtes growled. "I'm quite tall enough to destroy you, Bacchus! You gods, always hiding behind your mortal heroes, trusting the fate of Olympus to the likes of these."

He sneered at Andy.

Lena hefted her sword. "Lord Bacchus, are we going to kill these giants or what?"

"Well, I certainly hope so," Bacchus said. "Please, carry on."

Andy stared at him. "Didn't you come here to help?"

Bacchus shrugged. "Oh, I appreciated the sacrifice at sea. A whole ship full of Diet Coke. Very nice. Although I would've preferred Diet Pepsi."

"And six million in gold and jewels," Andy muttered.

"Yes," Bacchus said, "although with demigod parties of five or more the gratuity is included, so that wasn't necessary."

"What?"

"Never mind," Bacchus said. "At any rate, you got my attention. I'm here. Now I need to see if you're worthy of my help. Go ahead. Battle. If I'm impressed, I'll jump in for the grand finale."

Then the Argo II broke through the walls, presenting its port side, and green fire blazed from the ballista. Everybody took cover as the explosion rocked the place.

Leo stood at the helm, Hazel and Frank grinning at his side. Ephialtes lay charred and groaning on the floor, and Otis was floundering in the water.

Andy got up. "Well? Was that impressive enough?"

Bacchus walked to where Otis was. The water instantly drained, leaving an Otis-headed pile of mush. Bacchus smacked Otis's head with his pinecone staff, and the giant pile of Otismeal disintegrated completely.

Bacchus strutted over to Ephialtes, who was still lying spread-eagled, overcooked and smoking.

Again, Bacchus raised his thyrsus and tapped the giant on the nose, and Ephialtes crumbled to ashes.

"That, my friends, is how you kill two giants!"

Andy ran to where Nico was. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed his forehead. Gods, he was so cold. He'd always been pale, but now his skin looked like powdered milk. His dark eyes were sunken but he looked her right in the eyes, a dreamy expression on his face.

"Thank you," Nico rasped. "I'd given up hope."

"Well," Bacchus said. "That was fun. You have my permission to continue your voyage. And you might try the parking lot behind the Emmanuel Building," Bacchus said. "Best place to break through. Now, goodbye, my friends. And, ah, good luck with that other little matter."

The god vaporized in a cloud of mist that smelled faintly of grape juice. Lena ran to meet Piper and Hazel to Nico.

"Oh, Death Boy," Andy muttered stepping away from Nico. "You knew about the two camps all along. Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me who I was?"

Nico looked so very sad when he said her name, "Andy, I'm sorry. I discovered Camp Jupiter last year. My dad led me there, though I wasn't sure why. He told me the gods had kept the camps separate for centuries and that I couldn't tell anyone. The time wasn't right. But he said it would be important for me to know…" He doubled over in a fit of coughing. "I—I thought Dad meant because of Hazel. I'd need a safe place to take her. But now… I think he wanted me to know about both camps so I'd understand how important your quest was, and so I'd search for the Doors of Death."

"Did you find the doors?" she asked.

Nico nodded. "I was a fool. I thought I could go anywhere in the Underworld, but I walked right into Gaea's trap. I might as well have tried running from a black hole."

The others started to join the conversation. Hazel hugged Nico until she was satisfied. "Um…" Frank chewed his lip. "What kind of black hole are you talking about?"

Nico turned to Hazel.

She put her hand on her brother's arm. "Nico told me that the Doors of Death have two sides—one in the mortal world, one in the Underworld. The mortal side of the portal is in Greece. It's heavily guarded by Gaea's forces. That's where they brought Nico back into the upper world. Then they transported him to Rome."

Piper must've been nervous, because her cornucopia spit out a cheeseburger. "Where exactly in Greece is this doorway?"

Nico took a rattling breath. "The House of Hades. It's an underground temple in Epirus. I can mark it on a map, but—but the mortal side of the portal isn't the problem. In the Underworld, the Doors of Death are in… in…"

A black hole. An inescapable part of the Underworld where even Nico di Angelo couldn't go. Why hadn't Andy thought of this before? "Tartarus," she guessed. "The deepest part of the Underworld."

Nico nodded. "They pulled me into the pit, Andy. The things I saw down there…" His voice broke.

Hazel pursed her lips. "No mortal has ever been to Tartarus," she explained. "At least, no one has ever gone in and returned alive. It's the maximum-security prison of Hades, where the old Titans and the other enemies of the gods are bound. It's where all monsters go when they die on the earth. It's… well, no one knows exactly what it's like."

Her eyes drifted to her brother.

"Now I understand why Hades hasn't been able to close the doors," Nico said. "Even the gods don't go into Tartarus. Even the god of death, Thanatos himself, wouldn't go near that place."

Leo glanced over from the wheel. "So let me guess. We'll have to go there."

Nico shook his head. "It's impossible. I'm the son of Hades, and even I barely survived. Gaea's forces overwhelmed me instantly. They're so powerful down there… no demigod would stand a chance. I almost went insane."

Nico's eyes looked like shattered glass. Andy wondered sadly if something inside him had broken permanently.

"Then we'll sail for Epirus," she said. "We'll just close the gates on this side."

"I wish it were that easy," Nico said. "The doors would have to be controlled on both sides to be closed. It's like a double seal. Maybe, just maybe, all seven of you working together could defeat Gaea's forces on the mortal side, at the House of Hades. But unless you had a team fighting simultaneously on the Tartarus side, a team powerful enough to defeat a legion of monsters in their home territory—"

"There has to be a way," Lena said.

Nobody volunteered any brilliant ideas.

"Hey," said Piper staring at Leo. "How are you guys here though? The giants said you were captured. What happened?"

Leo shrugged. "Oh, just another brilliant plan by Leo Valdez. You'd be amazed what you can do with an Archimedes sphere, a girl who can sense stuff underground, and a weasel."

"I was the weasel," Frank said glumly.

"Basically," Leo explained, "I activated a hydraulic screw with the Archimedes device—which is going to be awesome once I install it in the ship, by the way. Hazel sensed the easiest path to drill to the surface. We made a tunnel big enough for a weasel, and Frank climbed up with a simple transmitter that I slapped together. After that, we went back to the Argus II."

Andy struggled to get her eyes off Nico. "Where's Anthony?" she demanded.

Leo winced. "Yeah, about that… he's still in trouble, we think. Hurt, broken leg, maybe—at least according to this vision Gaea shown us. Rescuing him is our next stop."

A surge of adrenaline coursed through Andy's body. "Why didn't you go save him first? Why did you come for us? What were you thinking?" Everyone stared at her surprised. Andy tried to rein herself in. "Tell me everything you know."

"Let's talk on board," Hazel suggested. "We'd better take off while we still can."

They sailed out of the Colosseum and veered south over the rooftops of Rome.

The demigods gathered around the helm. Lena bandaged Piper's sprained shoulder while Hazel sat at the stern, feeding Nico ambrosia. The son of Hades could barely lift his head. His voice was so quiet, Hazel had to lean in whenever he spoke.

Frank and Leo recounted what had happened in the room with the Archimedes spheres, and the visions Gaea had shown them in the bronze mirror. They quickly decided that their best lead for finding Anthony was the cryptic advice Bacchus had provided: the Emmanuel Building, whatever that was.

"There it is!" Leo cried, pointing to his monitor.

Andy thought her stomach was sinking. Then she realized the entire ship was descending toward a big building like a palace.

 _Anthony_.

"Is that the Emmanuel Building?"

Leo nodded. "Bacchus said something about the parking lot in back? Well, there it is. What now?"

"We'll get him out," she said.

"Well, yeah," Leo agreed. "But, uh…" He looked like he wanted to say, _What if we're too late?_ Wisely, he changed tack. "There's a parking lot in the way."

"Okay. Bacchus said something about breaking through. Do you still have ammo for those ballistae?"

Leo grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."


	49. The Fall

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part XII — _And she smiled at me and held me just like she used to do. Like she loved me. When she loved me._

* * *

Anthony, in severe pain, with his ankle wrapped in boards and Bubble Wrap, and carrying no weapon except his dagger, faced Arachne, the monstrous half-spider who wanted to kill him and make a commemorative tapestry about it. His mind went blank. He reached a state where he thought, 'Okay. Can't get any more terrified than I already am. Time to deal with this crap.'

The monstrous creature picked her way down from the top of the web-covered statue. She moved from strand to strand, hissing with pleasure, her four eyes glittering in the dark. Either she was not in a hurry, or she was slow.

Gods, Anthony hoped she was slow.

He was in no condition to run, and he didn't like his chances in combat. Arachne probably weighed several hundred pounds. Those barbed legs were perfect for capturing and killing prey. No. Combat was not the answer.

That left trickery and brains.

In the old legends, Arachne had gotten into trouble because of pride. She'd bragged about her tapestries being better than Athena's. Arachne had lost in a big way.

Anthony knew something about being prideful. It was his fatal flaw as well. He often had to remind himself that he couldn't do everything alone. He wasn't always the best person for every job.

But could he use that weakness against the spider? Even if he stalled for time, the cavalry would not be coming. Nobody would find him here. Not in this horrible place.

Yep. He was probably going to die scared and alone.

Calmly, Anthony limped toward the nearest tapestry—a cityscape of Ancient Rome. "Marvelous," he said. "Tell me about this tapestry."

Arachne's lips curled over her mandibles. "Why do you care? You're about to die."

"Well, yes," Anthony said. "But the way you captured the light is amazing. Did you use real golden thread for the sunbeams?"

Arachne allowed herself a smug smile. "No, child. Not gold. I blended the colors, contrasting bright yellow with darker hues. That's what gives it a three-dimensional effect."

"Beautiful. Did you see this scene yourself?"

Arachne hissed. "You are trying to delay your death. It won't work."

"Of course not. But if I'm gonna die, I can spare a moment to appreciate this. It's a shame that these beautiful tapestries can't be seen by everyone. They belong in a museum, or…"

"Or what?" Arachne asked.

"Nothing." Anthony sighed wistfully. "It's a silly thought. Too bad."

"What?" the spider pressed. "What silly thought?"

Anthony cleared his throat. "Oh… it's just that I was put in charge of redesigning Mount Olympus," he said. "You know, after the Titan War. I've completed most of the work, but we need a lot of quality public art. The throne room of the gods, for instance… I was thinking your work would be perfect to display there. The Olympians could finally see how talented you are. As I said, it was a silly thought."

Arachne's hairy abdomen quivered. Her four eyes glimmered. "You're redesigning Mount Olympus," she said. "My work… in the throne room."

"Well, other places too," Anthony said. "The main pavilion could use several of these. That one with the Greek landscape—the Nine Muses would love that. And I'm sure the other gods would be fighting over your work as well. They'd compete to have your tapestries in their palaces. I guess, aside from Athena, none of the gods has ever seen what you can do?"

Arachne snapped her mandibles. "Hardly. In the old days, Athena tore up all my best work. My tapestries depicted the gods in rather unflattering ways, you see. Your mother didn't appreciate that."

"Rather hypocritical," Anthony said, "since the gods make fun of each other all the time. I think the trick would be to pit one god against another. Ares, for instance, would love a tapestry making fun of my mother. He's always resented Athena."

Arachne's head tilted at an unnatural angle. "You would work against your own mother?"

"I'm just telling you what Ares would like," Anthony said. "And Zeus would love something that made fun of Poseidon. Oh, I'm sure if the Olympians saw your work, they'd realize how amazing you are, and I'd have to broker a bidding war. As for working against my mother, why shouldn't I? She sent me here to die, didn't she? The last time I saw her in New York, she basically disowned me." Anthony let all his bitterness and sorrow into those words. It must have sounded genuine because the spider did not pounce.

"This is Athena's nature," Arachne hissed. "She casts aside even her own son. The goddess would never allow my tapestries to be shown in the palaces of the gods. She was always jealous of me."

"But imagine if you could get your revenge at long last."

"By killing you!"

"I suppose." Anthony scratched his head. "Or… by letting me be your agent. I could get your work into Mount Olympus. I could arrange an exhibition for the other gods. By the time my mother found out, it would be too late. The Olympians would finally see that your work is better."

"Then you admit it!" Arachne cried. "A son of Athena admits I am better! Oh, this is sweet to my ears."

"But a lot of good it does you," Anthony pointed out. "If I die down here, you go on living in the dark. Gaea destroys the gods, and they never realize you were the better weaver."

The spider hissed. "This will not do," Arachne grumbled. "I cannot allow it."

"Well…" Anthony shifted, trying to keep his weight off his throbbing ankle. A new crack appeared in the floor, and he hobbled back.

"Careful!" Arachne snapped. "The foundations of this shrine have been eaten away over the centuries!"

Anthony's heartbeat faltered. "Eaten away?"

"You have no idea how much hatred boils beneath us," the spider said. "The spiteful thoughts of so many monsters trying to reach the Athena Parthenos and destroy it. My webbing is the only thing holding the room together, boy! One false step, and you'll fall all the way to Tartarus—and believe me, unlike the Doors of Death, this would be a one-way trip, a very hard fall! I will not have you dying before you tell me your plan for my artwork."

"Right, the plan," Anthony said trying to stay focused. "Um… as I said, I'd love to take your tapestries to Olympus and hang them everywhere. You could rub your craftsmanship in Athena's nose for all eternity. But the only way I could do that… No. It's too difficult. You might as well go ahead and kill me."

"No!" Arachne cried. "That is unacceptable. It no longer brings me any pleasure to contemplate. I must have my work on Mount Olympus! What must I do?"

Anthony shook his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. Just push me into Tartarus or something."

"I refuse!"

"Don't be ridiculous. Kill me."

"I do not take orders from you! Tell me what I must do! Or… or—"

"Or you'll kill me?"

"Yes! No!" The spider pressed her front legs against her head. "I must show my work on Mount Olympus."

"I suppose I could pull a few strings," he conceded.

"I excel at pulling strings!" said Arachne. "I'm a spider!"

"Yes, but to get your work shown on Mount Olympus, we'd need a proper audition. I'd have to pitch the idea, submit a proposal, put together a portfolio. The audition piece is the most important thing. These tapestries are excellent. But the gods would require something really special—something that shows off your talent in the extreme."

Arachne snarled. "Are you suggesting that these are not my best work? Are you challenging me to a contest?"

"Oh, no!" Anthony laughed. "Against me? Gods, no. You are much too good. It would only be a contest against yourself, to see if you really have what it takes to show your work on Mount Olympus."

"Of course I do!"

"Well, I certainly think so. But the audition, you know… it's a formality. I'm afraid it would be very difficult. Are you sure you don't just want to kill me?"

"Stop saying that!" Arachne screeched. "What must I make?"

"I'll show you." Anthony unslung his backpack. He took out Daedalus's laptop and opened it.

"What is that?" Arachne asked. "Some sort of loom?"

"In a way," Anthony said. "It's for weaving ideas. It holds a diagram of the artwork you would build." His fingers trembled on the keyboard. Arachne lowered herself to peer directly over Anthony's shoulder. He opened the 3-D imaging program. The last design was still up—the key to his plan, inspired by the most unlikely muse ever: Frank Zhang.

Anthony showed Arachne how it could be created.

"You want me to make that? But this is nothing! So small and simple!"

"The actual size would be much bigger," Anthony cautioned. "You see these measurements? Naturally it must be large enough to impress the gods. It may look simple, but the structure has incredible properties. Your spider silk would be the perfect material—soft and flexible, yet hard as steel."

"I see…" Arachne frowned. "But this isn't even a tapestry."

"That's why it's a challenge. It's outside your comfort zone. A piece like this—an abstract sculpture—is what the gods are looking for. It would stand in the entry hall of the Olympian throne room for every visitor to see. You would be famous forever!"

Arachne made a discontented hum in her throat. "This would take a great deal of web," the spider complained. "More than I could make in a year."

Anthony had been hoping for that. "You'd need to unravel the statue," he said. "Reuse the silk." Arachne seemed about to object, but Anthony waved at the Athena Parthenos like it was nothing. "What's more important—covering that old statue or proving your artwork is the best? Of course, you'd have to be incredibly careful. You'd need to leave enough webbing to hold the room together. And if you think it's too difficult—"

"I didn't say that!"

"Okay. It's just… Athena said that creating this braided structure would be impossible for any weaver, even her. So if you don't think you can—"

"Athena said that?"

"Well, yeah."

"Ridiculous! I can do it!"

"Great! But you'd need to start right away, before the Olympians choose another artist for their installations."

Arachne growled. "If you are tricking me, boy—"

"You'll have me right here as a hostage," Anthony reminded her. "It's not like I can go anywhere. Once this sculpture is complete, you'll agree that it's the most amazing piece you've ever done. If not, I will gladly die."

Arachne hesitated. "Fine," the spider said. "One last challenge—against myself!" Arachne climbed her web and began to unravel the Athena Parthenos.

Anthony lost track of time. He sat on the crumbling floor and tried to preserve his strength. He watched in amazement and horror as Arachne worked, her eight legs moving with hypnotic speed, slowly unraveling the silk strands around the statue.

The Athena Parthenos was even scarier than Arachne. It radiated power. As Athena was unwrapped, the air around her grew warmer. All across the room, the smaller spiders became agitated and began retreating back into the hallway.

Arachne didn't seem to notice. She kept muttering to herself, counting out yards of silk and calculating the number of strands her project would require. "So much silk," Arachne muttered. "I could make twenty tapestries—"

Cracks seemed to be spreading across the floor more rapidly. The Athena Parthenos, now free, was attracting even more attention from the monsters in Tartarus. The chamber rumbled and if Arachne noticed, she didn't seem to care.

Arachne worked more quickly, bringing the strands together. Soon, the structure was done. At the feet of the statue lay a braided cylinder of silk strips, five feet in diameter and ten feet long. But to Anthony, it would only be beautiful if it worked.

Arachne turned to her with a hungry smile. "Done! Now, my reward! Prove to me that you can deliver on your promises."

Anthony studied the trap. He frowned and walked around it, inspecting the weaving from every angle. Then, careful of his bad ankle, he got down on hands and knees and crawled inside. He'd done the measurements in his head. He slipped through the silken tunnel without touching the sides. He crawled out the other end and shook his head.

"There's a flaw."

"What?!" Arachne cried. "Impossible! I followed your instructions—"

"Inside," Anthony said. "Crawl in and see for yourself. It's right in the middle—a flaw in the weaving."

Arachne foamed at the mouth. She stamped her eight legs petulantly. "I do not make mistakes."

"Oh, it's small," Anthony said. "You can probably fix it. But I don't want to show the gods anything but your best work. Look, go inside and check. If you can fix it, then we'll show it to the Olympians. You'll be the most famous artist of all time. They'll probably fire the Nine Muses and hire you to oversee all the arts. The goddess Arachne… yes, I wouldn't be surprised."

"The goddess…" Arachne's breathing turned shallow. "Yes, yes. I will fix this flaw." She poked her head into the tunnel. "Where is it?"

"Right in the middle," Anthony urged. "Go ahead. It might be a bit snug for you."

"I'm fine!" she snapped, and wriggled in. The spider's abdomen fit, but only barely. As she pushed her way in, the braided strips of silk expanded to accommodate her. "I see no flaw!" she announced.

"Really?" Anthony asked. "Well, that's odd. Come out and I'll take another look."

Arachne wriggled, trying to back up. The woven tunnel contracted around her and held her fast. She tried to wriggle forward, but the trap was already stuck to her abdomen. She couldn't get through that way either. Arachne's legs were pressed so tightly against her body she could barely move them.

"What—what is this?" she called. "I am stuck!"

"Ah," Anthony said. "I think you were right. There was no flaw. I guess we should call it Chinese Spidercuffs. Normally these traps are made from woven bamboo, but spider silk is even better. It will hold you fast, and it's much too strong to break—even for you."

"Gahhhh!" Arachne rolled and wriggled, but Anthony moved out of the way. "I will destroy you!" Arachne promised. "I mean… no, I'll be very nice to you if you let me out."

Anthony scanned the room. There had to be a way to send an Iris-message to the Argo II. She had some water left in her bottle, but how to create enough light and mist to make a rainbow in a dark cavern?

Arachne began to roll around again. She screamed and flailed. A strand of silk shot from the monster's spinnerets and attached itself to a tapestry on the far wall. The chamber shook. "My children! Help me!"

Spiders began swarming into the chamber. The statue of Athena glowed brighter. The spiders clearly didn't want to approach, but they edged forward as if gathering their courage.

"Arachne, stop it!" Anthony yelled. "I'll—"

Somehow Arachne twisted in her prison, pointing her abdomen toward the sound of his voice. A strand of silk hit Anthony in the chest like a heavyweight's glove. He fell, his leg flaring with pain. He slashed wildly at the webbing with his dagger as Arachne pulled him toward her snapping spinnerets.

Anthony managed to cut the strand and crawl away, but the little spiders were closing around him. He realized he wouldn't make it out of here. Arachne's children would kill him at the feet of his mother's statue.

 _Andy_ , he thought. That thought that always relaxed him.

At that moment, the chamber groaned, and the cavern ceiling exploded in a blast of fiery light. As the roof of the cavern collapsed, sunlight blinded him. Anthony got the briefest glimpse of the Argo II hovering above. Chunks of asphalt tumbled down, along with six or seven Italian cars. A bright red Fiat 500 slam into Arachne's silk trap, punching through the cavern floor and disappearing with the Chinese Spidercuffs.

As Arachne fell, she screamed like a freight train on a collision course; but her wailing rapidly faded. All around Anthony, more chunks of debris slammed through the floor, riddling it with holes.

The Athena Parthenos remained undamaged, though the marble under its pedestal was a starburst of fractures. Anthony was covered in cobwebs but somehow, amazingly, none of the debris had hit him.

The army of spiders had disappeared.

And then he heard her voice: "Anthony!"

"Here!" he shouted.

All the terror seemed to leave him in one massive yelp. As the Argo II descended, he saw Andy leaning over the rail. Her smile was better than any tapestry he'd ever seen.

The room kept shaking, but Anthony managed to stand. The floor at his feet seemed stable for the moment. He edged closer to the gaping hole made by the Fiat 500.

The Argo II hovered to a stop about forty feet from the floor. It lowered a rope ladder, but Anthony stood in a daze, staring into the darkness. Then suddenly Andy was next to him, lacing her fingers in his. She turned him gently away from the pit and wrapped her arms around him. Anthony buried his face in her black hair.

"It's okay," she said. "We're together." After all they'd been through, both knew the most important thing was that they were together.

Their friends gathered around them.

"Your leg." Piper knelt next to her and examined the Bubble Wrap cast. "Oh, Anthony, what happened?"

He explained. When he finished, his friends' faces were slack with amazement.

"Gods of Olympus," Lena said. "You did all that alone. With a broken ankle."

"Well… some of it with a broken ankle."

"Holy Hera—Tony, you did it," said Andy. "You found the Athena Parthenos!"

Everyone gazed at the statue.

"What do we do with her?" Frank asked. "She's huge."

"We'll have to take her with us to Greece," Anthony said. "The statue is powerful. Something about it will help us stop the giants."

"' _The giants' bane stands gold and pale,'_ " Hazel quoted. " _'Won with pain from a woven jail.'_ " She looked at Anthony with admiration. "It was Arachne's jail. You tricked her into weaving it."

Leo raised his hands. He made a finger picture frame around the Athena Parthenos like he was taking measurements. "Well, it might take some rearranging, but I think we can fit her through the bay doors in the stable. If she sticks out the end, I might have to wrap a flag around her feet or something."

Anthony shuddered. That was good enough for him. "What about you guys?" he asked. "What happened with the giants?"

Andy told him about rescuing Nico. Nico didn't say much. The poor guy looked like he'd been wandering through a wasteland for six weeks.

"So the mortal side is in Epirus," Anthony said. "At least that's somewhere we can reach."

Nico grimaced. "But the other side is the problem. Tartarus."

The chamber groaned. The Athena Parthenos tilted to one side. Its head caught on one of Arachne's support cables, but the marble foundation under the pedestal was crumbling.

Nausea swelled in Anthony's chest. If the statue fell into the chasm, all his work would be for nothing. Their quest would fail. "Secure it!" he shouted.

The others understood immediately.

"Zhang!" Leo cried. "Get me to the helm, quick!" Frank transformed into a giant eagle, and the two of them soared toward the ship.

Lena wrapped her arm around Piper. She turned to Andy. "Back for you guys in a sec." She summoned the wind and shot into the air.

"This floor won't last!" Hazel warned. "The rest of us should get to the ladder." Plumes of dust and cobwebs blasted from holes in the floor. Hazel lunged for the bottom of the rope ladder and gestured for Nico to follow.

Andy gripped Anthony's hand tighter. Looking up, Anthony saw everyone working together trying to secure the Athena Parthenos. Nico had just reached the ladder when a sharp pain shot up Anthony's bad leg. He gasped and stumbled.

"What is it?" Andy asked.

Anthony tried to stagger toward the ladder. That's when his legs swept out from under him and he fell on his face.

"His ankle!" Hazel shouted from the ladder. "Cut it! Cut it!"

"I'm not gonna cut his ankle!" Andy shouted, distressed.

Something yanked Anthony backward and dragged him toward the pit. Andy lunged. She grabbed his arm, but the momentum carried her along as well.

"Help them!" Hazel yelled.

Anthony glimpsed Nico hobbling in their direction, Hazel trying to disentangle her cavalry sword from the rope ladder. Their other friends were still focused on the statue.

Anthony gasped as he hit the edge of the pit. His legs went over the side. Too late, he realized what was happening: he was tangled in the spider silk. It was attached to something heavy down in the darkness, something that was pulling him in.

Andy shouted something as she struggled. Anthony slipped over the edge and Andy went with him. Anthony's body slammed into something. He'd fallen partway into the pit and was dangling over the void. Andy had managed to grab a ledge about fifteen feet below the top of the chasm. She was holding on with one hand, gripping Anthony's wrist with the other, but the pull on his leg was much too strong.

The pit shook. Andy was the only thing keeping Anthony from falling and the strength she was using was unbelievable. Her eyes were watering but she kept her grip firm. Nico leaned over the edge of the chasm, thrusting out his hand, but he was much too far away to help. He had a crazy look in his face as if his own life was on the line.

Anthony's leg felt like it was pulling free of his body. Pain washed everything in red. He didn't have the strength to fight. He knew he was too far down to be saved.

"Andy, it's okay," he croaked.

Her face was white with effort but Andy shook her head. "Shut up. I've gotta you. I just need—"

"You can't. If you don't let go, you'll fall with me."

"I won't let go," she said.

"It's okay," insisted Anthony.

The look in her face as she considered him threatened to break his heart.

She shook her head. "Stop it. I won't let go."

"You ha—"

"I won't ever let go!"

The last thing Anthony wanted was Andy in Tartarus. He would not have that. He couldn't save himself but he could give her a chance. If she wasn't going to let go—then he would have to.

Andy's eyes widened when she realized what he was doing. "Don't you dare—"

Anthony let go of her hand. Andy yelled and only held him tighter. But she couldn't hold his weight for long. Her hand was slipping.

"Please—" her voice broke. "Don't. I can't—"

"I love you," he told her, just in case.

"No," she argued. Then she looked up at Nico, fifteen feet above. "The other side, Nico! We'll see you there."

Nico's eyes widened. "But—"

Andy tightened her grip on Anthony's wrist. Her face was gaunt, scraped and bloody, her hair dusted with cobwebs, but when she locked eyes with him, Anthony thought she had never looked more beautiful.

"Andy," he said. "Let—"

"I won't let go." Her voice was calm now as if she had reached a new state of mind. She was certain of something beyond his imagination. "Not of you."

And then she let go of her tiny ledge, and together, they fell into the endless darkness.


	50. An Afterthought

Act III — **The Sky Meets The Sea**

Part XIII — _I'll be there when the world stops turning. I'll be there when the storm is through._

* * *

Everything had happened so quickly. They had secured grappling lines to the Athena Parthenos just as the floor gave way, and the final columns of webbing snapped. Lena and Frank dove down to save the others, but they'd only found Nico and Hazel hanging from the rope ladder. Andy and Anthony were gone. The pit to Tartarus had been buried under several tons of debris. Leo pulled the Argo II out of the cavern seconds before the entire place imploded, taking the rest of the parking lot with it.

Lena, Hazel, and Frank had hoped to dig through the rubble and find a way to save Andy and Anthony, but there was none. The cavern was simply gone.

Dazed with grief, Leo and the others carefully loaded the Athena Parthenos into the hold. The statue just fit, though what they were going to do with it, Leo had no idea.

The six demigods gathered on the quarterdeck. Leo rested his hand on the Archimedes sphere, which now sat on the helm, ready to be installed. If he could decipher Archimedes's scrolls, he could do amazing things.

Still, the price had been too high.

He had opened the fortune cookie, hadn't he? He'd gotten the access code for the sphere and saved Frank and Hazel. But the sacrifice had been Andy and Anthony.

"It's my fault," Leo said miserably.

The others stared at him. Only Hazel seemed to understand. "No," she insisted. "No, this is Gaea's fault. It had nothing to do with you."

Leo wanted to believe that, but he couldn't.

"Leo, listen to me." Hazel gripped his hand. "I won't allow you to take the blame. I couldn't bear that after—after Sammy—"

Nico di Angelo shuffled over, leaning on his black sword. The guy looked absolutely miserable. But then again that could as easily be his resting face. The guy was creepy as hell. Leo didn't know if that was due to his parentage or the time he had spent there alone. "Leo, they're not dead. If they were, I would feel it."

"How can you be sure?" Leo asked. "If that pit really led to… you know… how could you sense them so far away?"

"We can't be one hundred percent sure," Hazel admitted. "But I think Nico is right. Andy and Anthony are still alive… at least, so far."

Lena pounded her fist against the rail. "I should've been paying attention. I could have flown down and saved them."

"Me, too," Frank moaned. The big dude looked on the verge of tears.

Piper put her hand on Lena's back. "It's not your fault, either of you. You were trying to save the statue."

"She's right," Nico said. "Even if the pit hadn't been buried, you couldn't have flown into it without being pulled down. I'm the only one who has actually been into Tartarus. It's impossible to describe how powerful that place is. Once you get close, it sucks you in. I never stood a chance."

Frank sniffled. "Then Andy and Anthony don't stand a chance either?"

Nico twisted his silver skull ring. "Andy is the most powerful demigod I've ever met. If I had her with me when I was down there…" He sighed. "Look, if anybody can survive this, she will. She'll find a way through Tartarus."

Lena turned. "To the Doors of Death, you mean. But you told us it's guarded by Gaea's most powerful forces. How could two demigods possibly—?"

"I don't know," Nico admitted. "But Andy's planning on meeting us there. If we can survive the House of Hades, fight our way through Gaea's forces, then maybe we can work together with Andy and Anthony and seal the Doors of Death from both sides."

"And get Andy and Anthony back safely?" Leo asked.

"Maybe."

Leo didn't like the way Nico said that, as if he wasn't sharing all his doubts.

Nico took a deep breath. "I don't know how, but Andy will find a way. She'll journey through Tartarus and find the Doors of Death. And when she does, we have to be ready."

"It won't be easy," Hazel said. "Gaea will throw everything she's got at us to keep us from reaching Epirus."

"What else is new?" Lena sighed.

Piper nodded. "We've got no choice. We have to seal the Doors of Death before we can stop the giants from raising Gaea. Otherwise her armies will never die. And we've got to hurry. The Romans are in New York. Soon, they'll be marching on Camp Half-Blood."

"We've got one month at best," Lena added. "Ephialtes said Gaea would awaken in exactly one month."

Leo straightened. "We can do it."

Everyone stared at him.

"The Archimedes sphere can upgrade the ship," he said, hoping he was right. "I'm going to study those ancient scrolls we got. There's got to be all kinds of new weapons I can make. We're going to hit Gaea's armies with a whole new arsenal of hurt."

Lena managed a smile. She clapped Leo on the shoulder. "Sounds like a plan, Admiral. You want to set the course?"

They kidded him, calling him Admiral, but for once Leo accepted the title. This was his ship. He hadn't come this far to be stopped.

They would find this House of Hades. They'd take the Doors of Death. And by the gods, if Leo had to design a grabber arm long enough to snatch Andy and Anthony out of Tartarus, then that's what he would do.

Nemesis wanted him to wreak vengeance on Gaea? Leo would be happy to oblige. He was going to make Gaea sorry she had ever messed with Leo Valdez.

—End of Act III—


End file.
